


*Still thinking of Title*

by OneDaySoon



Category: Criminal Minds, NCIS
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2018-07-14 22:06:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 28,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7192700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneDaySoon/pseuds/OneDaySoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When one door shuts, does another truly open?</p><p>Tony's just found out he's a dad.<br/>He's left NCIS and moved, away from everything and every one he's known for over 10 years.<br/>Was it the right choice?</p><p>The door opens the first morning in his new house to his new neighbour. His rather <em>attractive<em></em></em> neighbour.</p><p>He's fallen for pretty faces before though, and it hasn't always ended well.<br/>Is this Tony's happily ever after?<br/>Or will someone from his past catch up and try and ruin the good in his life?</p><p>Non-canon.</p><p>Sorrryyyyy!! Suck at summaries but please leave comments so I know if this is worth pursuing!! Constructive criticism always welcome! <strike>Even if I cry about it afterwards<strike></strike></strike> Jokes! I want to improve so help me please :)</p><p>Sorry it's been so long, thank you for those who have kept commenting whilst I've been away. I've got some stuff to do IRL which is taking priority, but promise I will update before the end of January! I just hope it lives up to expectations! :S</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Shh baby, it’s okay” but the child in his arms kept screaming and screaming.

“Come on Tali” he began to sing softly

“Numi, numi yaldati,  
Numi, numi, nim.  
Numi, numi k'tanati,  
Numi, numi, nim.

Aba halach la'avoda -  
Halach, halach Aba.  
Yashuv im tzeit halevana -  
Yavi lach matana!”

Tali quietened in his arms as Tony tried not to cry.

He missed Ziva.

He missed his team, who didn't know where he'd moved to - though he guessed it would take Abby or McGee seconds to find them.

And try as he might, though he'd been the one to end it - _he missed Gibbs._

Placing Tali gently into her cot, Tony looked around the room.

It was pretty bare at the moment, they had only left Washington that day and he hadn’t had a chance to unpack everything yet.

Looking out of the window onto the unfamiliar skyline, he sighed.

_Was he doing the right thing?_

_\----------_

Next morning as the doorbell rang, chaos ensued in the DiNozzo household.

Tali had thrown breakfast on the floor, on the ceiling, and all over Tony.

 _Essentially anywhere but in her mouth_ – Tony chuckled wryly.

“If your mother could see you now!” 

Tali crowed as he plucked her out of her highchair and went to open the door.

__“H-hello” the man on the other side of the door blushed._ _

__“Hi” Tony smiled, he still had it. Even covered with baby breakfast._ _

__“Sorry, I know it’s early but we brought a pie over, didn’t we Jack?”_ _

__A boy Tony hadn’t noticed peered around the man’s legs, holding a dish in his arms._ _

__“Yes we did!” he smiled as his dad ruffled his hair, and crept closer offering the pie._ _

__“Thank you very much!” Tony crouched down to look the boy in the eye, “What kind of pie is it?”_ _

__“It’s an apple pie!”_ _

__“Hey, that’s my favourite!” Tony smiled as the boy looked at him in delight._ _

__“It’s mine too isn’t it Dad?”_ _

__“I thought it was cherry Jack?”_ _

__“No! That was last week!” Tony laughed along with the stranger at Jack’s outraged face._ _

__Tali chuckled as well and Tony looked at her with joy. It wasn’t rare for her to laugh, but his heart still soared every time she did._ _

__When she threw her head back and laughed it reminded him of Ziva._ _

__“This is Tali” Tony introduced her as he stood, but she curled into his chest and hid her face._ _

__“She’s a little shy”._ _

__“Interesting name, what is it? Hebrew?”_ _

__“Yes” Tony was surprised._ _

__“I had a colleague in Israel whose name was Tali, it’s a beautiful country”_ _

__“Yes, yes it is” Tony’s smile faltered._ _

__Sensing he’d overstepped a line the man made to leave._ _

__“Well, we should be going. Jack and I are off to the zoo for the day”_ _

__“They could come too though, right dad?”_ _

__Both men laughed awkwardly._ _

__“I don’t even know your dad’s name!” Tony exclaimed, “I’m Tony by the way, Tony DiNozzo; I’d offer you my hand, but, you know”_ _

__They both grinned at the mush covering his hand._ _

__“Aaron, Aaron Hotchner”._ _

__“Well now can they come Dad?”_ _

__“Well mister” Tony addressed Jack, “If you help me by putting that pie in my fridge, you’ll see how much of a state my house is”_ _

__“Woah, it is a mess” Jack said, peering around Tony to have a look._ _

__“Jack!”_ _

__Tony laughed “It’s okay Aaron, he’s right”_ _

__“So you see Jack me and Tali here need to do some tidying, but you and your dad could come over for some of my world famous lasagna for dinner if you wanted? After the zoo?”_ _

__“Yeah! Dad?”_ _

__“Are you sure that’s okay, you haven’t even unpacked”_ _

__“It’s fine by me, what say you Tali?”_ _

__She curled further into Tony’s chest, patting his face with her food covered hands._ _

__“We’ll take that as a yes” Tony laughed._ _

__“Okay, well we’ll see you later, 5-ish?”_ _

__“Perfect, it’s a date”._ _


	2. Chapter 2

Tony shut the front door and groaned.

_It’s a date? What the hell was he thinking?_

“Aba?”

Tony looked down at Tali and smiled sheepishly.

“I don’t know what your Aba has got himself into” he whispered kissing Tali on the forehead.

\----------

_It’s a date? What did that mean?_

Aaron found himself grinning inanely as he drove to the zoo, singing along with Jack to the tracks on the radio.

He hoped it meant what he thought it meant.

Whilst Tony had a child, it didn’t have to mean he was straight. After all, he had Jack.

Aaron thought about how Tony had looked answering the door.

Tall, toned and _tight,_ in the way he held himself. Aaron wondered if he could help loosen him up a little.

_Tony DiNozzo – why did that name seem so familiar?_

“Dad”

“Yes Jack?”

“We missed the turning”

Aaron checked his mirrors, and, sure enough, the sign for the zoo was getting further and further away.

“Oh-” he saw Jack looking at him in his rear-view mirror “lasagne!”

Jack started to laugh “lasagne!” he cried.

Aaron chuckled at the glee on Jack’s face. He tried not to swear in front of Jack, and he found it made Jack ridiculously happy when he came out with strange outbursts- like _lasagne._

Oh no. He’d only met Tony once, and the man was already in his head.

\----------

Tony raced around the house making sure everything was ready. He had spent the day unpacking, cleaning and tidying, along with entertaining Tali and clearing up any messes she made.

Such as running into the empty boxes Tony had carefully stacked, and scattering tiny, _tiny_ polystyrene balls throughout the house. 

They had got everywhere. Tony had even coughed a couple up, to his surprise and Tali’s laughter.

But now, everything was perfect.

Looking around the house, Tony felt excited. Unpacking had made everything feel more like home, and he was eager to get some paint and start doing the place up how he wanted.

The timer in the kitchen went off and Tony put the garlic bread in the oven, after checking in on Tali in the sitting room.

She was happily sat on the sofa with her teddy, rambling away in Hebrew.

Tony went and scooped her up, smiling as she held her arms out like a bird.

“And this is Flight Tali, landing on Sofa DiNozzo” 

Tali shrieked as Tony flew her around the room.

“Oh no! Turbulence”

Tony laughed as Tali laughed, her eyes bright compared to the setting sun outside the window.

He hadn’t been this happy for a long time.

A movement out of the corner of his eye had him crouching down quickly, clutching Tali to his chest as he crawled over to the window, back pressed against the wall until he could peer out of the corner of the window.

Tali fussed in his arms, but she stayed still as Tony whispered to her.

Nothing. He could see nothing.

He relaxed, looking at Tali who had quietened and curled up again, hiding her face in his arm.

He sighed, _how long was it going to be like this? Paranoia over the slightest movement or noise?_

Slowly his heart stopped hammering in his chest and he stood. Scanning outside one last time before closing the curtains.

“Dinners ready Tali” he chucked her under the chin as the timer went off again.

Turning the oven down, he settled into his armchair to watch the door, waiting for Aaron and Jack to knock.

\---------

“So did you have a good day Jack?” Aaron asked looking up at Jack on his shoulders.

“Yeah!” Jack replied tapping out a rhythm on Aaron’s head.

“Hey young man!” Aaron lifted Jack off his shoulders “Want to get a present from the gift shop?”

“Please!”

Aaron watched as Jack ran ahead. Feeling a prickling on the back of his neck he turned.

Nothing stood out; families were feeding the birds near the zoo entrance, a maintenance man swept the pavement.

All was normal.

Aaron turned and walked quickly towards Jack, something still didn’t feel right. Picking him up in a bear hug he released a breath he didn’t know he had been holding.

“Dad?”

“Yes Jack?”

“Can I get two presents please?”

“Two, why do you need two?”

“I was going to give this to Tali” Jack held out a stuffed animal to Aaron who smiled.

“That’s perfect Jack, she’ll love it”.

Just then his phone rang and Aaron sighed. He knew this day was too good to be true.

“Hold that thought Jack. Rossi? I’ll be right in”.

\----------

Tony waited.

After trying to feed Tali who was still quiet after the scare earlier.

He waited.

After putting her to bed, and binning the lasagne that had dried and hardened.

He waited.

Eventually, heading to bed he stopped waiting.


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron hung up and sighed. _why could nothing ever go to plan?_

He wondered if he had enough time to drive back and tell Tony he couldn’t make it, looking at the queue in the gift shop he thought not.

“Dad?”

“Yes Jack”

“We can go now if you want, I can put these back” Jack gestured with the soft toys in his hands, trying to smile, though Aaron could tell he was disappointed.

Looking at his son, Aaron wondered what he had done to get this much good in his life.

Scooping his son up in his arms, he breathed in the scent that was just Jack – clean and fresh and _pure._

“Do you know how much I love you Jack?”

Jack wrapped his arms tighter around Aaron’s neck, staying silent.

“Let’s get in this queue before it gets any longer hey?”

“Are you sure?” Jack mumbled into his ear.

“Positive, family first” Aaron replied, squeezing him tighter.

\--------

When Aaron made it onto the plane the rest of the team were already there.

“Sorry, for keeping you waiting, Garcia, please continue”.

“Everything alright?” Rossi whispered to Aaron as Garcia started talking about the latest heinous crime, bodies turning up with strange symbols carved into them.

“Yes, fine”

Aaron turned to the notes handed to him, though he could feel Rossi’s eyes on him for a while.

He was thinking about how he could let Tony know he wasn’t going to make it, it had just turned five and he could picture him and Tali waiting for them.

“Ugh” he groaned.

Rossi was on him like a hawk.

“What is it Aaron?”

“Nothing, I just need to make a call that’s all”.

Aaron walked to the back of the plane and rang information.

“Information, how may I help you?”

“The number for Tony DiNozzo, Quantico?” he tried to keep his voice down, clocking the not so surreptitious looks from the rest of his team.

“I’m sorry Sir, we show no records for a Tony or Anthony DiNozzo in Quantico, or the rest of the state”.

Aaron thanked her and hung up. Bollocks.

He thought about Garcia - no. He dismissed the idea immediately, she would want to know why he needed the number, and looking at the addresses she would put two and two together… He wanted to keep Tony to himself for now. Whilst he wasn’t ashamed of being bisexual, it was something the rest of his team didn’t know, and he would prefer to keep it that way. 

Except Rossi perhaps - Aaron sometimes thought that Rossi was too perceptive for his own good. 

That and the fuzzy memory of a lot of whisky one evening, resulting in admissions from both of the men that they had had same sex partners before.

Rossi had been rather upset as he recalled. Some absolute bastard of an ex, but he didn’t remember the details, it had been a _lot_ of whisky.

He would just have to make it up to Tony when he got back.

\-----


	4. Chapter 4

Five days later.

As the plane landed, wheels skidding on the tarmac, Aaron sighed, rolling his neck until he heard it crack.

The case had been tough, five more bodies had been found, bringing the total up to eight before they had been able to identify the cult and put them away.

He wanted to collect his son, and go home.

“Alright team, I don’t want to see you for 48 hours.”

“48?” Morgan piped up “are you sure?”

“Unless you desperately want to come to work tomorrow?”

“Nope! I’m good!” Morgan grabbed his go-bag and danced towards the hatch, “I got a date tomorroooow!” he sang.

Aaron could hear JJ and Emily teasing him as they followed him off the plane, their voices fading in the evening dusk.

Grabbing the files and placing them in his bag, Aaron made to leave the plane.

“So, who’s the lucky lady then?”

Aaron turned to see Rossi, legs crossed, eyeing him contemplatively.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on Hotch, I know you, you haven’t been this distracted since, well, Beth.”

“I wish Rossi, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Rossi’s face fell, an emotion too quick for Aaron to pin down flickered across his face.

“Well” Rossi turned around and headed towards the exit, “if you’re going to play it like that, let me know when you’ve removed that stick up your ass.”

Aaron looked in surprise as Rossi exited the plane, not looking back.

_Way to go Aaron._

\----------

Picking up a sleepy Jack, Aaron thanked his childminder quietly and made his way back to the car.

Parking on his drive ten minutes later Aaron looked for any signs of life from the DiNozzo house. He hoped to see lights on, giving him an excuse to see Tony. 

Unfortunately nothing.

However there was always tomorrow, hopefully he could apoligise for missing the dinner.

Early in the morning Jack crept into Aaron's bed, before curling up into a ball under the covers. Aaron watched as Jack’s breathing deepened and he fell quickly back to sleep.

Although he was old enough to go without, a toy was clutched under his arm, and Aaron smiled.

It was moments like this when Jack was still his little boy, when he still came to Aaron for protection, creeping into his room to make sure he was still there - and not a boy a few years off being a teenager.

Aaron lightly dozed as the sun crept further into the room, until he was woken by Jack.

“Daaaaaaaaaad!” Jack jumped onto Aaron who let out an ‘ooof’ of surprise as his son slammed into him.

“Ughh Jack!”

“Sorryy!” Jack sang as he used Aaron's legs as mountains for his stuffed toy, which Aaron now saw was a wolf.

“What did you want you monster?” Jack laughed as Aaron began to tickle him.

“Dad nooo! I just had an idea of what to do today!”

“Really?” Aaron relented, lying spread-eagled next to Jack, “what was it?”

“I think we should go round and give Tali her present!”

“That’s a pretty good idea Jack” Aaron replied, trying to convince himself it was that and no other ulterior motive - _like getting to see more of Tony -_ that had him agreeing .

“Whoever takes the longest to get ready is a rotten egg” Aaron whispered into Jack's ear, laughing as Jack leapt up and ran from the room.

_Definitely no ulterior motives here._

\----------

“How come you’re never this quick to get ready for school?” Aaron asked Jack, trying to hide his nervousness as they made their way up the front steps.

Aaron paused as he heard muffled shouting from inside. Holding Jack back he crept forward and pressed his ear to the door, as he heard something shatter and the shouting stop.

“Maybe we should come back later” Aaron said, walking back towards Jack, “I don’t think Tony is very happy right now”.

“Won’t we cheer him up?” Jack asked, holding up Tali’s present he had wrapped rather hastily this morning “What about Tali’s present?”

Aaron noticed a figure silhouetted in the window - _damn, spotted,_ they would have to ring the doorbell now.

As the door opened Aaron looked into the eyes of the man who had plagued his dreams, and many of his waking moments for the last five days.

“Hi”

“Hi” Aaron couldn’t read anything in Tony’s eyes.

“We got a present for Tali!” Jack barrelled past Aaron and held the parcel up for Tony to inspect.

Aaron was glad Jack hadn’t picked up on the tension emanating from Tony.

Tony smiled at Jack and stepped aside, “I guess you better come in then”.

Aaron waited until Jack had run off into the house, “I’m so sorry about the other night, work rang and I didn’t have your number-“

“It’s fine” Tony replied, though his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“No, it’s not” Aaron touched his arm “I’m really sorry, but you’re not in the phone book and I did-“

“Honestly, it’s fine” this time Tony’s smile was real, “You really did try”.

“Of course I did” realising he still held Tony’s arm, Aaron let go, “So to prevent it from happening again I would like to exchange numbers.”

“Chatting me up on my own doorstep are we?” Tony teased, “What makes you think there will be a next time?”

“Well, I’d like there to be” Aaron said as he passed Tony into the hallway, “I’d still like to try that world famous lasagne of yours”.

Aaron hoped he hadn’t imagined the sharp intake of breath from Tony as he brushed past him into the house.

“You missed my homemade garlic bread as well.”

“Good is it?”

“I’ve been told it’s good enough to dream about” Tony said with a laugh, shutting the door.

“I’ll hold you to that” Aaron replied, aware his voice betrayed the desire hidden within him.

“Is that a promise or a threat?” Tony whispered in his ear, as he sauntered past Aaron to pick up Jack, who was asking where Tali was.

_A promise,_ Aaron thought, _definitely a promise._


	5. Chapter 5

“Do you guys want anything to drink?” Tony asked, “I’ll give Tali ten more minutes in bed.”

“She’s in bed?” Jack was shocked.

“She’s only little” Tony laughed, “We didn’t sleep very well”.

"Plus", he said, adopting an air of secrecy “She’s just like her mum when she doesn’t get enough sleep, cranky! Is your Dad not like that, early in the morning?” Tony asked, his eyes on Aaron.

Aaron swallowed. 

Jack laughed, “I don’t want to say, he’ll tickle me!”

“Ooohhh ticklish are we?” Tony laughed, as Jack turned rigid in his arms, “Don’t worry Jack, I hate being tickled too, I won’t do it to you.”

“If you get Dad at the right time” Jack whispered in Tony’s ear, “he’s ticklish too.”

“I’ll bear that in mind” Tony whispered back.

\----------

Aaron shifted in his seat as he watched Tony and Jack interacting. Watching the two of them laughing together made his heart soar - _could he dare to hope that one day-_

“Dad?” Aaron came to as Jack ran over to him, “Are you okay?”

“Sure Jack why?”

“Tony just asked if you wanted a drink”

“Oh-a, sorry, I was away with the fairies then”

“We know” Jack grinned “Sooooo, what do you want to drink? Or are you still away with the ‘Fairies?’” 

Looking at Jack grinning in front of him, fingers air-quoting, Aaron mentally groaned, he couldn’t even keep his crush secret from his son - his _ten year old_ son.

“I’m fine thanks monster” he said trying to poke Jack in the side as he skipped out of reach.

“Well this is for you young man” Tony said, coming out of the kitchen with what Aaron thought was a garishly pink drink with an umbrella propped in the top.

“What on earth is that?” Aaron asked.

“Tony’s special strawberry milkshake!” Jack answered, slurping away “It’s really good!”

“And you turned it down” Tony said with mock sadness.

“I won’t make that mistake again.”

Aaron liked the way a small smile stole across Tony’s face.

He could get used to seeing that smile.

“I’m going to go get Tali” Tony said, “try not to drink all that at once!” he pointed at Jack.

As Tony headed up the stairs Jack sidled over to Aaron, grinning from ear to ear.

“Hey Dad” he whispered, “Do you like Tony?”

“Of course, don’t you” Looking at his son Aaron thought he was too perceptive for his own good sometimes, or as he often thought, had a touch of the Rossis.

Thinking of his friend he sighed, he would need to repair that bridge.

“I mean do you _like_ him like him?”

Aaron was saved from answering by the return of Tony and Tali, bright eyed from her nap.

“So Tali” Tony said, setting her down on the floor, “Do you remember Aaron and Jack? They got you a present.”

Jack bounded over with the present sitting down next to Tali, “Here it is! I hope you like it.”

Tali looked to Tony, but didn’t rush away, which Tony saw to be a good sign.

“Come on Chickpea” Tony said, lying down next to Tali “You don’t need help opening it.”

Tali hesitatingly started to pluck at the paper, but soon got into it tearing the paper off amidst peals of laughter.

Clutching at the toy she clutched it to her chest beaming, hugging Jack quickly before leaning back on Tony.

“Hey Tali, what is it?”

Tali held out the toy, it was a bird, the kind Tony had never seen before.

“Wow, what kind of bird is that?”

“It’s a hoopoe!” Jack said excitingly, “I saw it said it was the national bird of Israel and I thought Tali might like it”.

“Thank you” Tali smiled.

Tony sat up in shock; Tali rarely spoke at all, let alone to strangers. He smiled widely and lifted Tali up.

“That’s my girl!” 

“I got a wolf!” Jack said excitingly, holding up the toy he had got from the zoo.

“Why did you choose a wolf?” Tony asked.

Aaron sat up a little straighter, he was curious too.

“Well, I read that they’re great at protection, and fierce, and it reminded me of Dad!”

Aaron squirmed as three sets of eyes looked at him.

“What is it that you do Aaron?”

“I’m a lawyer” Aaron replied, avoiding Jack’s quizzical gaze.

The doorbell rang, saving Aaron from the questions he could see forming on Jack’s lips.

Tony got up, “Be right back guys, maybe we can fix some lunch up in a bit?”

Aaron watched as Tony walked from the room, fidgeting as things _stirred,_ in places that felt that they hadn’t been stirred for a long time.

\----------

Tony whistled as he walked to the door, a spring in his step. He admitted he had been worried when they didn’t come round for lasagne the other day, but the feelings he was getting from Aaron had been - _good,_ more than good if he was being honest with himself.

The smile died on his lips as he opened the door to a pair of steely blue eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

He had waited until he thought Tony was alone, sat in his truck at the end of the street he had been there since nine, figuring nobody would have come around earlier than that.

That would have been rude.

Satisfied that no-one had visited Tony all morning, he made his way to his front door, cooler in hands.

He only heard the laughter of someone else, someone that was clearly _not him,_ after Tony had opened the door.

After that smile that used to send him crazy fell from Tony’s face.

“Tony”

“Gibbs”

“What have I told you about calling me Gibbs outside of work?”

“I don’t work for you anymore” Gibbs gave Tony a look, “or under you” Tony continued quietly.

Gibbs reached out for Tony’s arm, but Tony jerked back, staying out of reach.

“What are you doing here Jethro? I told you to stay away, we’re done.”

“Come on Tone, you don’t really mean that do you? Look, I bought steaks, a few beers, let’s talk this over?”

“I have nothing to say, it’s over, we’re over - I’m done.”

Tony went to shut the door but Gibbs shoved his foot in the crack.

“I said, let’s talk about it” though Gibbs spoke with a playful air, Tony could see the hard determination in his eyes. 

Memories of pushing Gibbs this far before, and the scars he had to thank for it, had Tony thinking of the people still inside his house.

Opening the door Tony pushed Gibbs back and stepped after him, closing the front door behind him.

“Who’s in there?” Gibbs asked.

“No-one, just a neighbour”

“Well who is he Tone, no-one or a neighbour?”

“It’s none of your business!” Tony snapped.

Gibbs took a step back, trying a different tactic “Come on T, I just want to know whose round your house before nine on a Saturday, you may have moved on fast, but I- well, I haven’t. I miss you, that’s all”.

“Wait, what?”

“I said I missed you, I know I never told you often how I really felt but-“

“You’ve been here since nine?”

Gibbs realised his mistake and tried to backpedal “No, I just meant-“

“Get off my property”

Gibbs grabbed his arm as he turned back towards the house.

“Don’t make a mistake you can’t come back from Tony”

“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life”.

Gibbs was shocked at the cold detachment he saw in Tony’s eyes, he had seen it many times before on cases, but rarely directed at himself.

The door opened.

“Everything alright Tony? Just Tali’s hungry and I didn’t want to go rooting around in your cupboards”

“Everything’s fine, I was just coming in anyway” Tony replied, eyes still locked with Gibbs.

“So sorry, didn't realise you had company, Mr?” Gibbs stepped forward to shake Aaron’s hand, pressing against Tony and enjoying the shudder he felt from the other man.

“Call me Aaron”

“Pleased to meet you Aaron, well I must be off, Tony, see you around”

Tony watched as Gibbs walked back down his drive and back to his van.

“Who was that Tony?” asked Aaron, not liking how pale Tony had become, or the look on his face.

“Nobody” Tony replied, “Nobody of consequence”.

Turning around Tony smiled, though Aaron noticed it was more muted than before.

“Shall we go get something to eat then?” Walking past Aaron Tony groaned as Tali knocked into him, still running around with her toy.

“Come on trouble” he said picking Tali up and placing her on his shoulders, “Jack, want some food?”

Aaron watched them head to the kitchen, both kids chattering loudly, before turning around to look out of the front door for one last time.

_Who had that man been, and why was Tony so upset?_

As a truck rumbled past the house Aaron locked eyes with the man that had been on the doorstep moments before.

He shut the door firmly, not liking how the stranger had made him feel.

He vowed to find out who that man was.

\----------


	7. Chapter 7

Gibbs strolled into Abby’s lab, Caf-Pow in hand.

“GIBBSGIBBSGIBBSGIBBS!” Abby jumped up and down, hands clasped together, “Did you see him? Is Tony okay? Did he say why he left? What-”

“Abs.”

She stopped jumping immediately.

“I don’t know if you really need another one of these.” 

Abby snatched the Caf-Pow out of his hands before taking a large gulp and depositing it on the counter.

“Sorrysorrysorry I just want to know if he’s-”

“He’s not okay Abs”.

Her face fell, pigtails swinging morosely.

“Why? What’s happened?”

Gibbs pulled her into a hug as she stood frozen in place.

“There’s a guy…”

“What? But he belongs with you! He’s your lobster!”

Gibbs didn’t even think about asking what that meant.

“Abby, if he doesn’t want to be with me, he doesn’t want to be with me.”

Abby wrenched herself out of his grip and spun around to start typing at her computer.

“Well did he ever actually say that to you?”

“Well no” - _Yes_

“Did you know he was going to leave?”

“No Abs” - _Yes again_

“Well then this guy must have some sort of hold on him, do you know who he is? Did you get a name?”

“Aaron, that’s all I got.”

Abby started muttering under her breath as her fingers flew across the keyboard.

“Oh, and he’s a neighbour” Gibbs remembered.

“Gotcha” Abby smiled, but it wasn’t a smile you’d want to be on the receiving end of.

Gibbs leant on the counter behind him, biting the inside of his lip to stop himself grinning from ear to ear.

_Everything was working out exactly as he had hoped._

“Bingo” Abby span round, “Aaron Hotchner, FBI, lives a couple of doors down from Tony’s new place”.

“Thanks Abs, what else you got?”

As she span back around, Gibbs was unprepared for the string of expletives Abby rattled off.

“What is it?”

“Someone’s deleting the info I dug up!” She swore again, “And hacking into my mainframe!” 

Gibbs stood by helpless as Abby’s screens exploded into a nonsense of numbers and letters before fading into black.

Typing rapidly Abby turned around as the screens froze.

“I need McGee”

Wordlessly Gibbs got his phone out and dialled, wondering what on earth had just happened.

“Yes Boss?”

“Abby’s lab, now.”

\----------

Garcia had only nipped into work for five minutes when the alarm on her personal tablet went off.

_Lucky I had been, or we’d all be in a heap of trouble now_ she thought.

Tapping speed dial two on her phone she waited for the call to be picked up.

“Kevin? Don’t talk, listen. I need you to head into the main server room and disconnect servers eight through twelve from the main system, let me know when you’ve done it.”

Hanging up the phone she typed into a command box, cursor hovering above the send button as she anxiously waited for the return call.

The phone hadn’t even rung once before she had picked it up 

“Kevin?”

“No it’s Hotch-”

“Sorry Hotch, give me five” She cried, hanging up the phone.

It rang again not a moment too soon.

“Kevin?”

“It’s done, will you tell me-”

“Are you 100% sure?”

“Yes, why?”

“Because I don’t want to be the one that deleted the FBI’s entire database.”

“Penelope what?!”

“Got to go, love you.”

Hanging up, she pressed send.

Then shutting her eyes, she prayed.

\----------

Aaron put the phone down, puzzled. Garcia rarely sounded that harried when they weren’t on a case. 

To be honest, he hadn’t really expected her to be in today anyway, he just wanted to check on the progress of some expenses forms.

Locking his office, he decided to go pay her a visit.

\----------

McGee ran down to the lab, stopping in shock when he saw Abby’s frozen screens.

“Abs, what happened, what’s going on?”

“Someone didn’t want me accessing information; I had to use the Hara-Kiri programme.”

Gibbs didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he certainly didn’t like the look of shock on McGee’s face, or how pale he became.

“Was there no other way?”

“No Tim! Do you think I would have done it if there had been another option?”

Gibbs started to speak, “What are you two talk-”

“Sorry Gibbs” Abby interrupted, “Tim I need you to help me send a back trace worm.”

“What’s a back trace worm?” Gibbs tried again to understand what was going on.

“Sorry Boss” McGee interrupted, “Abs I don’t know, if they decide to run it-”

“What the hell is going on?” Gibbs yelled, furious at being ignored.

Both Abby and McGee jumped and then began talking at once.

“The Hara-Kiri programme is –”

“A back trace worm is-”

A high pitched screeching had them all covering their ears in pain. Abby and McGee jumped up immediately and began typing furiously.

Gibbs watched as the screens one by one turned black until the lab was dark and silent.

“Now will you tell me what is going on?”

Abby laid her head on the desk, holding a comforting hand on her back McGee turned around.

“I don’t think it matters much anymore Boss, but a Hara-Kiri programme is a suicide programme.”

Gibbs gestured for him to continue, and McGee swallowed nervously.

“The people deleting the information Abby accessed were given a choice, if they continued to hack into and delete our information, then the same thing would happen to them. So normally they would back off, as leaving our information alone means we would leave their information alone.”

“Normally?”

“The problem is, in this case” McGee was rubbing Abby’s back now - Gibbs thought more for his own comfort than Abby’s, “it didn’t work.”

“How so?”

“They took the deal. They deleted all our information, even though all of theirs got deleted too.”

Gibbs huffed in anger.

“Okay, and what’s this back worm thing?”

“A back trace worm would allow us to see exactly who was on the other side, deleting our information.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway” Abby said sitting up, not looking either of the men in the eye, “we couldn’t set it up in time.”

“So that means?”

“We have nothing” Abby turned around in her chair, “literally nothing.”

Getting up from the chair she started flicking the power sockets around the lab off and on again. The reassuring noise of machinery started up; however all of the screens remained blank.

“We need to go to the server room to try and fix this” she said, looking at McGee.

“Let me know when you’re done” Gibbs span on his heel and walked out, catching the lift to his team’s floor.

“He doesn’t really understand the consequence of this does he” McGee stated.

“No”, Abby grabbed his hand, “Do you think we could leave the country before they realise we're gone?”

He squeezed it gently “Come on, it won’t be that bad, let’s go fix this.”

\----------

Walking out onto the floor, Gibbs stared. 

Chaos ensued.

Monitors were flashing, people were panicking, as he walked to his desk the sprinkler system went off - activated by a couple of smoking monitors.

In the confusion Gibbs grabbed his jacket, badge and gun, and headed towards the car park.

He had a couple of questions for Fornell.

\----------

Walking to Garcia’s office, Aaron bumped into Rossi.

“Hotch” Rossi said curtly, continuing past.

“Dave please.”

Rossi relented, the set of his shoulders falling as he turned around to look at Aaron.

“Dave, look, I’m sorry about the other day.”

“No it’s fine, I was out of line, we are all entitled to our personal lives after all.”

“I just wanted, wanted a bit more time to think things through for myself, before telling everyone else about…” Aaron petered out, thankful he hadn’t let Tony’s name slip.

“So it was a lady then, what’s her name?” Rossi’s eyes lit up with curiosity.

Aaron fidgeted “How about I tell you over another whisky night, only not as much as last time. I don’t really remember anything at all about that night.”

“Sounds good, when are you free?”

Aaron’s response was interrupted as he noticed Garcia hurtling towards them, her tottering heels at odds with the speed she was travelling.

“Hotch! Thank goodness you’re still here!”

Aaron held out a hand to steady her as she skidded to a stop.

“Garcia what is it?”

Someone was trying to find out information on you! I stopped the attack but they’re not going to be best pleased with me….”

“Why?” Aaron fixed Garcia with a pointed stare.

“It’s not important right now” she swiftly carried on, “we have an advantage as their systems are going to be down for a while.”

“Who was the attacker?” Rossi interjected.

“NCIS” 

Aaron watched Rossi pale, leaning on the wall for support.

_\- Looked like they’d be having that whisky sooner than anticipated._


	8. Chapter 8

Rossi couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

_NCIS_

He bet he knew who had hacked in as well; it was no great secret among the agencies that a particular NCIS team had no problems with flouting the rules. Led by none other than Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

_Leroy_

How many years had it been Rossi wondered - too many, and yet at the same time, not enough.

_Never enough._

Focussing back on the conversation Rossi noticed Aaron watching him.

He had to get out of here before Aaron started asking questions that he wasn’t ready or willing to answer.

“No Garcia” he heard Aaron say, “We’ll keep the rest of the team out of it, unless something further happens.”

“Excellent idea” Rossi intervened, “I think we should also not discuss it, lest it gets out.”

Seeing that Aaron was about to say something, Rossi turned to leave “Anyway, got to go, see you both tomorrow.”

Trying not to break into a run, he purposely walked away. Not until he had driven out of headquarters and was well on the way home did he let loose the breath that had tightened in his chest.

_Leroy_

_Why couldn’t you have left me in peace?_

\----------

Garcia and Aaron watched Rossi as he made his way to the stairs.

“Well that was weird” Garcia said, turning as Rossi walked out of view.

“Indeed” Aaron replied noncommittally.

_If Garcia had noticed something was wrong, then he definitely needed to speak to Rossi, and soon._

\----------

Gibbs waited on a park bench, watching the exit he expected Fornell to take. He agitated the coffee in his hands before drinking the last bitter dregs.

“So Gibbs, what’s so urgent that you’re meeting me on my turf?”

Fornell had come up behind him, smirking that he had managed to sneak up on Gibbs.

“Are you so tied to a desk nowadays, that creeping up on me makes your day Tobias?”

Fornell rolled his eyes, uncowed by the harsh tones of Gibbs words.

“So did you want something Gibbs?” Fornell asked again, sitting down next to Gibbs, “because if not I’ve got lots of work to do.”

“Aaron Hotchner”

“What about him?” Fornell turned towards Gibbs curiously “wait, this isn’t about Rossi is it? You know Tony would be devastated!”

“Why do you bring Rossi up?” Gibbs asked, he hadn’t thought of the man for years, it had been a very long time ago.

“Well he’s part of Aaron’s team, the Behavioural Analysis Unit. I figured that’s why you were asking about Aaron.”

Gibbs fought the urge to roll his eyes. Fornell could irritate him sometimes, however he was also useful to keep as an ally, he was forever letting slip about the FBI without realising it.

Now, Gibbs thought, not only did he know what section of the FBI Aaron worked in, but he also had an in.

_Rossi_

Gibbs wondered if Rossi still liked expensive wine.

“Gibbs, what’s going on?” Fornell asked, “What do you want with Rossi? Are you and Tony not together?”

“I don’t want anything to do with Rossi” he looked at Fornell, “and Tony is fine, more than fine, we’re just having, having a little difficulty at the moment.”

“Come on Jethro” Fornell clumsily patted his hand, “You and Tony will work it out, you always do, God knows that boy loves you more than it makes sense.”

“I’ll just have to remind him.”

“That’s the spirit” Fornell said getting up, missing the look on Gibbs face, “Come round soon, you hear? Emily misses her uncle”.

“Will do” Gibbs shook Fornell’s hand before walking away.

He _would_ remind Tony.

And when he was finished, Tony would never leave him again.

\----------

Gibbs’ phone rang as he headed back into the NCIS offices.

“Gibbs”

“Hey boss, it’s McGee, could you meet me and Abby in her lab?”

“On route” Gibbs hung up the phone

_What mess had they got themselves into now?_

Entering the lab Gibbs was surprised by the overwhelming about of cables, and bits of tech strewn across every available surface.

He barely had a foot in the door before Abby ambushed him, a lot more subdued than her usual exuberant self.

“Gibbs, Vance wants to see us, what are we going to tell him?”

“How much will he be able to know?”

“Well the virus wiped everything since the last back up, which was luckily only two days ago” Gibbs jumped as McGee’s head poked out from under a desk, “So he only knows what we will tell him.”

“So there’s no evidence of any wrongdoing?” Gibbs asked.

“None” Abby replied, “the only problem is if the FBI get in contact and say that we hacked them”.

“Is that likely?”

“Well” Abby looked to McGee for support, “Normally I’d say no, but then again I never expected this to happen”.

“Do they know who hacked them, apart from the fact it was NCIS?”

“We don’t believe so” McGee said, standing up.

“Then you know what to say” Gibbs said, before turning and leaving.

“Is he asking us to lie to the Director?” 

“I don’t know Abs, he didn’t exactly say it”

“Come on Tim, we’re all family, Gibbs wouldn’t throw us under the bus”.

“You’re right” he sighed “Ready to go see Vance?”

\----------

Tony played with the phone in his hand, thumb hovering over the call button. Plucking up the courage he pressed down and listened to the sound of the phone ringing.

“Aaron Hotchner”

“Hey, it’s Tony”

The voice on the other end of the phone softened “Hey Tony, sorry, I didn’t recognise your number”

“No worries, I just wanted to ask, um, would you like to come round for dinner tomorrow? You and Jack?”

“We’d love that, what time?”

Aaron’s voice deepened, sending all the blood straight to Tony’s trousers.

“Any time after five, is that okay?”

“Perfect”

Tony imagined Aaron’s eyes, dilated with lust, and squirmed in his chair.

_The man wasn’t even in the same room and he was having an effect on him._

“Do you want us to bring anything?”

“Just yourselves” 

Tony started to wonder how hot phone sex would be with Aaron.

_Bad move._

“Excellent, see you then!” Tony hung up quickly, before he became too uncomfortable.

Looking at his watch he saw he had about an hour before he had to pick Tali up from his Dad’s.

Judging by the mound in his trousers, that was just enough time to have a shower.

\- A very _long_ shower.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 100 kudos!! Thank you everyone!!  
> I've no internet for the next week, so I hope this keeps you going!
> 
> \----------

Rossi sat in the dark looking at the phone in his hands.

He toyed with it, and then put it back down.

Falling back onto the sofa he sighed, picked up the phone again.

And pressed call.

\----------

Gibbs was sanding his boat, deep in thought.

He moved with the grain, slowly, surely, working out his next move.

_David Rossi_

How fortunate that he just happened to be on Aaron Hotchner’s team.

Gibbs thought back to when they first met – Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

He had been in the military police, as a non-commissioned officer, and David Rossi, two years older had been a private in training.

The fling had been short, but sweet.

Then Rossi got his orders and headed off to Vietnam.

They had seen each other since, off and on throughout the years, in between wives, but had lost contact for the last 13 or so when Gibbs had been with Tony.

_Tony._

Gibbs threw his sanding block across the room and walked over to the bottle of bourbon he had left on the side.

Taking a swig he grimaced, and headed upstairs taking the bottle with him.

That was enough on the boat tonight.

He settled down on the old, sagging couch, a western flickering in the background.

As his eyes started to close, he was disturbed by the phone ringing.

Cursing, Gibbs sat up and grabbed the phone.

He was ready to hang up immediately when he saw the caller ID.

 _Rossi_ \- interesting.

\----------

Tony hummed as he danced around the kitchen, Tali giggling as she too span around.

“Okay bimba, ready to cook?”

“Yes Aba!”

Tony smiled as he lifted Tali to stand on a chair, in front of a load of ingredients. 

Seeing Aaron and Jack was not only good for him, but also for Tali, who had become much more vocal – In a language Tony could actually understand.

“Okay bella” Tony said, tying a miniature apron around Tali, and putting a larger one on himself, “we’re going to be making _agnolotti_ ”

“Agbolotti”

“Close enough, let’s start cooking with gas hey sweet cheeks?”

\----------

“David”

“Leroy”

Gibbs smirked; this was going to be easier than expected.

\----------

“So you’re telling me” Vance paced angrily behind his desk, “that you have no idea what happened?”

“Yes Sir”

Vance snapped a toothpick in his hands.

“What happens when the network gets back on line? Will you be able to know then?”

“No Sir, we have to go back to when the system was last updated, a couple of days ago.”

“Well, keep me updated the pair of you” eyeballing them, Vance dismissed Abby and McGee from his office.

Settling down in his chair, he tapped his fingers on his desk. Then decisively began to type at his computer.

\----------

As they walked back into her lab Abby sighed as she looked at all the blank screens.

“We need to get back online”

“You’re not going to look up that FBI guy again are you?”

“He’s got Tony, we need to get him back”

\----------

“Ready Jack?”

“Yup yup!”

Jack ran past Aaron out of the front door.

“Come on Dad!”

“I’m just locking up, you can go on ahead!”

Aaron kept Jack in his eye line as he finished locking up, before jogging towards Tony’s.

The door opened before he got there and he saw Tony and Tali, both in aprons in the doorway.

Tony had flour and what looked like tomato sauce all over him, whereas Tali was remarkably clean.

Tony, seeing him, looked up and smiled.

Aaron thought he could fall in love with that smile.

\----------

“This ravioli is amazing Tony”

Tony looked up at him in mock horror.

 _”Ravioli?”_ “Did you hear that Tali?”

Tali shook her head solemnly, curls bouncing around her face.

“Agbolotti!”

Aaron smiled at the way Tony’s face lit up.

“Yeah! That’s right!”

“What’s the difference?” Jack piped up, sauce all around his mouth.

Tony’s eyes rolled dramatically “Profani!” he exclaimed, “Dammi la forza!”

“I didn’t know you could speak Italian” Aaron was surprised.

“Well, you actually know very little about me” Tony smiled, though Aaron felt he was guarded underneath it.

“Well, we’ll have to do something about that then won’t we. So what is the difference?”

The rest of dinner was spent with Tony trying to explain the difference between different pasta types, amidst interruptions from Jack and Tali.

Aaron couldn’t help but laugh when Jack proclaimed he still thought spaghetti was the best pasta, causing Tony to wring his hands and wail in more Italian.

When everyone had finished Tony let Tali and Jack go and play whilst he cleared up.

“Do you need any help?” Aaron snuck up behind Tony, and was surprised when he didn’t jump.

“You can dry up if you want to.”

They stayed at the sink in companionable silence until the dishes were all washed, dried and had been put away.

“I was serious earlier” Aaron watched as Tony put the aprons in the wash, “about finding out more about you.”

Tony looked at him but didn’t say anything.

Aaron avoided his eyes by staring at some sauce around Tony's mouth, that he itched to wipe away.

Taking a deep breath Aaron plunged on.

“If I found a babysitter, would you go out to dinner with me? The kids could stay at either of ours, I think it’s about time we hosted anyway…” aware he was starting to ramble, Aaron petered out.

“I’d like that.”

“Good.” 

Aaron stepped closer; seeing no resistance from Tony, he stepped closer still.

He liked the way Tony’s eyes dilated and his breath hitched.

“You’ve got a little something…” he whispered, leaning closer towards Tony.

“What?” Tony swallowed.

Aaron lazily wiped the sauce from Tony’s face, and slowly licked it off his finger.

“It’s gone now.”

“Are you sure?” Tony stepped closer, only the thinnest of gaps between them, “Sure there’s none left?” 

“There might be a little”

Aaron kissed the corner of his mouth and Tony responded hungrily.

“Dad! Can we watch a movie?” The moment broken, the two men stepped apart and went into the sitting room.

\----------

Tony watched as Tali and Jack cosied up with a bowl of popcorn between them.

He and Aaron sat on the other sofa, just enough space between them to be decent.

Tony couldn’t concentrate on the movie, and he didn’t think that Aaron could either, by the way he kept fidgeting.

He had to move - “Who wants hot chocolate?”

At the chorus of yes’ Tony got up and headed into the kitchen.

“Need any help?”

“Yeah, could you help carry them in? I’ve got marshmallows and whipped cream as well.”

Aaron walked into the kitchen.

“I love whipped cream.”

Tony turned around with a spray can in his hand, “want some?” he asked, eyebrows raised wickedly.

Without waiting for an answer he stepped forward and sprayed a little cream over Aaron’s mouth.

“That enough?”

Licking his lips Aaron smiled, “you should probably save some for the hot chocolate.”

“Spoilsport” Tony finished off the drinks with some grated chocolate, “you have got a little something though…”

Wiping leftover cream from Aaron’s face he hooked Aaron’s mouth with his finger and went in for another kiss.

“Is the hot chocolate ready?” Jack came barrelling into the kitchen.

Tony and Aaron broke apart, looking nervously at the other, “Do you think he noticed?” Tony whispered, eyes bright with laughter.

“DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!! DAD’S KISSING TONY, DAD’S KISSING TOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNYYYY!” Jack ran back into the sitting room where they could hear him telling Tali what he had just seen.

“Yes” Aaron laughed, “I think he might have noticed”.


	10. Chapter 10

Rossi fidgeted with his collar one last time before forcing himself to leave the house.

_“Come on Rossi, get it together.”_

Clutching a bottle of wine in one hand, and a supermarket bag with steaks in in the other, he walked to his car, trying to convince himself he was doing the right thing.

\-----

The drive was short, and it wasn’t long before Rossi had pulled up outside the house. 

His hands seemed frozen to the steering wheel, and it was only when he saw the curtain twitch, when he knew he had been spotted, that he took a breath and walked to the front door, offerings in hand.

The door opened and Rossi’s mouth fell open in shock.

The man before him was dressed in a very nice set of shirt and trousers, in fact, weren’t they _Armani?_

“Well are you going to stand there staring at me or come on in?”

“Sorry Jethro, I’m just not used to seeing you dressed like this.”

Rossi let Jethro take the wine and food out of his hands, loving and _hating_ the shiver that rippled through his body when their hands touched.

“I thought I’d look good for a special occasion.”

Rossi smiled and followed Jethro into the house.

“Well I appreciate it” Rossi replied, turning around and closing the door, “but Armani? I’m just a little surprised.”

He turned around to find Jethro close, too close. 

“What can I say? I’ve got a thing for Italians.”

_Oh no, come on Rossi, you’re only here to ask about the break in, you’re only here to-_

Jethro kissed him gently on each cheek.

“Isn’t that how they do it on the continent?” he asked, face close to Rossi’s, “or is it three?”

“Um, well it depends on where you go, and how close you are” Rossi swallowed.

“Well, I’ll go for three then” Jethro said, before kissing Rossi on the lips.

Rossi couldn’t help but respond, pulling Jethro closer, thoughts about the break in flying straight out of his head.

Eventually they pulled apart, eyes dilated, hair and clothing mussed.

“I-er, I see you bought steaks” Jethro managed to say, eyes still locked on Rossi’s, “do you want them now? Or later? Or-”

“Fuck the steaks” Rossi growled, hands roaming Jethro’s body relearning how he felt.

He grinned as he roamed over a _particularly_ sensitive area, leading Gibbs to gasp out loud.

_Clearly relearning wasn’t so much the issue as_ reacquainting.

“I don’t want to fuck the steaks” Gibbs replied, hands dancing over Rossi’s body, his chest, his belt, his - 

It was Rossi’s turn to gasp.

\-----

Rossi called in sick the next day at work, Aaron hoped he wasn’t trying to avoid seeing him, but the thought was soon forgotten with the news of a string of serial murders in rural Alabama.

“Wheels up in 30” he told the team, hoping that the case wouldn’t take long.

As the team trooped into the jet Aaron rang Rossi again, but the call went straight to voicemail.

He sighed; worrying about Rossi would have to be put on the back burner for the time being.

\-----

Rossi watched as his phone turned silent, registering three missed calls before the backlight turned off.

He winced as he stood up, heading to the kitchen to put some coffee on.

He was embarrassed.

Missing work for a serious reason was all well and good, but for _this?_ How exactly was he going to phrase it? _‘Sorry Aaron I’m completely fine, but my ass hurts from a hook up last night and I can’t sit down?’ – Not good enough._

He groaned as his phone went off again, he headed back into the lounge, determined to turn it off, at least until he had come up with a good reason for calling in sick, but brightened when he saw the caller I.D.

“Jethro?”

“Hey Rossi.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s just –”

Rossi gripped the phone tighter, he heard Jethro exhale at the other end of the line, imagined him pacing, telling Rossi _again_ that they weren’t good for each other, never had been.

“Dave?”

“Yeah, sorry” Rossi shook himself mentally; he had missed what Gibbs had said.

“Well what do you say?”

“Sorry, say it again?”

Rossi was surprised at the chuckle he heard down the phone.

“I know, I can hardly believe it myself, I said I miss you David Rossi. I want to see you again, and _soon._ so what do you say?”

Rossi was aware he was grinning like a fool.

“Yes, I say yes.”

“Excellent, maybe this Thursday then?”

“Perfect.”

Rossi grinned as he hung up the phone, three days, _three days_ , could he wait that long?

He smiled as he headed back to the kitchen for his coffee, it seemed Jethro had changed. 

_Maybe this time they would work?_

\-----

Jethro smiled as he hung up the phone.

He had enjoyed last night, and it was true, he did want to see Rossi again.

Maybe Tony had been right all those years when he had told him to be a little bit more personable.

Well, he better get a bit more practice if he wanted Tony back, and Rossi would be the perfect lab rat.

\-----

Aaron rolled his head around, wincing at a particularly large crack.

“Right team, good work the last two days; let’s go get some rest, wheels up at 09:00 tomorrow”.

He watched as the team sluggishly walked away.

He was tired too, but he wanted something to look forward too before heading to bed.

He had spoken to Jack on the phone earlier, he was good, looking forward to a field trip to a museum in a couple of weeks, and his sister-in-law had said everything was fine.

Hovering his thumb over the contact he pressed call, breath hitching as the phone began to dial, connecting him over hundreds of miles away.

“Hello?” the voice on the other end sounded tired, and Aaron immediately felt guilty.

“I’m sorry Tony, it’s Aaron, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“No worries” Tony yawned, “It’s just been a long day, that’s all.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah yeah, fine.”

Aaron could hear Tony stretching; he tried to distract himself from what he thought that would look like.

What he thought Tony looked like naked.

“Well, I was hoping you were still up for that meal we talked about the other day?” he rushed on, “I’m back tomorrow so was thinking maybe Friday?”

“Sounds like a plan, where have you been then?”

Aaron could have kicked himself. He had forgotten that Tony still believed him to be a lawyer.

“Oh, just out of town for a conference.”

“Do you go away a lot?”

“Unfortunately, more than I would like.”

The silence dragged on down the phone.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Aaron asked, worried by the quiet.

“Yeah I’m fine, it’s just” Aaron’s heart clenched at the sigh coming down the phone, “I don’t want to hang up”.

Aaron relaxed, smile spreading across his face as he heard Tony laugh.

“Pathetic isn’t it” Tony stated, and Aaron wished he were there beside him.

“I don’t think it’s pathetic.”

“Well of course you don’t, you’re the reason.”

In the silence that followed Aaron felt his smile was practically splitting his face.

“Oh, are you pining after me then?”

“Shut up.”

“It’s only natural you know.”

“Seriously Aaron, I’m dying of embarrassment already.”

Aaron laughed “It’s okay, I get this a lot.”

“Aaron, if you don’t shut up I’m hanging up, honestly.”

Aaron laughed again, Tony was sounding more and more aggrieved, and after the horrors of the case it was just too much, the tears started rolling down his cheeks.

“Are you… laughing at me?” The outrage in Tony’s voice set him off again and he snorted.

“Right, that’s it, call me when you’ve calmed down.” Tony hung up.

It took Aaron another few minutes before he had calmed down enough to walk back inside the hotel and up to his room.

After cleaning his teeth and showering, he slipped into bed, enjoying the feeling of clean sheets on his bare skin.

Picking up his phone, he dialled again.

\-----

Emily opened her curtains, looking out to the front of the hotel below.

Had that been…? Aaron?

The man who looked like he might crack if he ever tried to smile, in fits of laughter and – dare she say it - _giggling?_

She couldn’t wait to get back and tell Rossi, he was going to _flip!_

\-----

“You better have stopped laughing” Aaron smiled at Tony answering the phone.

“I have, I just wanted to apologise before I went to bed, it’s been a long day”.

“All conferenced out?”

“Sounds about right”.

“So where are you now?”

“I’ve just got into bed” Aaron squirmed as he heard Tony’s breathing hitch.

“Oh.”

“Oh? What does that mean?” Aaron asked.

“Nothing nothing, just ah, wondered what your room is like?”

“It’s okay, the best bit is the clean sheets, I feel like I’ve been out in the field for ages.”

“What kind of lawyer are you?”

Aaron grimaced as he realised he’d nearly done it again.

“Uh, environmental, I have to visit a lot of the sites myself.”

“I wouldn’t have pictured you as an environmental lawyer… but you can tell me all about that over dinner”.

“Are you looking forward to it?”

“Nearly as much as you were for your bedding!” Tony laughed.

“Hey, it’s not just bedding, it’s the fact that the sheets are clean, and they smell good” Aaron could hear Tony stifling his laughter, “Hey, I’m just saying that the feeling of clean sheets on clean skin is nice!”

“Was that a subtle little way of telling me that you’re naked Aaron Hotchner?”

Aaron gaped, grasping at something, anything to say.

“Tut tut, nothing to say?” Tony continued, “Is this the part where you want me to say that I’m naked too?”

“I-er, I didn’t mean-” Aaron fumbled his words, aware that he was now awake, very awake.

He clutched the phone to the side of his face, the other trapped underneath him to prevent him from grabbing himself.

“Because I am” Tony whispered, “I showered too, and then I slid –” he paused as Aaron groaned; “I slid into bed, into my clean _silk_ sheets.”

He carried on, loving the noises Aaron was making, and trying desperately hard not to succumb to desire himself.

“Do you like silk sheets?”

There was no answer but another muffled moan from Aaron.

“I’ll take that as a yes, you know, the way they _slide_ over your body, the way they drape, especially _especially_ over your – “

Tony was drowned out by another, much louder moan from Aaron.

“Shall I tell you another difference between our beds right now?”

Aaron couldn’t even form the words to reply; knowing that he was already over the edge, that there was no way back, he pulled his hand from underneath him and began stroking, desperately needing the release.

“One” Aaron could hear the smile in Tony’s voice as he teetered on the edge of an orgasm, “my sheets are silk”.

“Two” Aaron could feel that he was close now, so close. Tony’s voice seemed to have a direct link to his groin “Your bed doesn’t have me in it.”

The carnal way Tony was whispering did it; Aaron felt himself buck up into his hand. Again and again, as a sticky puddle grew around him.

“And finally” Aaron clutched at the phone, wishing more than ever he was with Tony right now “my sheets are still clean”.

Tony laughed as Aaron groaned down the phone.

“Sorry Tony, was I that obvious?”

“I think it was the mewing like a kitten that gave it away”.

“I’m sorry; I’ve never done that before… God I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be; just don’t make a habit of masturbating when you’re on the phone to your neighbours.”

They both laughed, and Aaron shifted as he tried to find a dry patch of the bed.

“I’m serious though Aaron, don’t make a habit of this” Aaron could hear the nervousness in Tony’s voice, “unless it’s with me”.

“Why, are you the jealous type?” Aaron smiled at the huff of annoyance down the phone.

“Just don’t want to get messed around” Aaron could hear the ‘again’ left unsaid by Tony.

“You won’t be” Aaron whispered.

“Good, now let me get some sleep.”

“Night Tony”.

“Sweet dreams Aaron”.

\-----

Tony hung up and shivered happily at the promise in Aaron’s voice. 

He couldn’t wait for Friday.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken so long! Been wallowing in self loathing, and, on a more positive note, discovered the Hotchner/Rossi fics! *cough*newfavouriteship*cough*

Vance checked over the security footage from Abby’s lab again. The system had just about been restored, but unfortunately the audio and visual from Abby’s lab was the last to be fixed. Vance sighed and drummed his fingers on his desk in frustration. He wanted to know what was said down there, it seemed to be the base of Gibbs operations, if only because it was so difficult to get spyware into Abby’s lab without noticing. Not impossible though, after all he had done it.

Now it was set up and running, all he had to do was wait. He had most of the agencies baying for Gibbs’ blood; they had been for a long time. But if he was right, if it was NCIS – _his agency_ that had hacked another firm then that would be it. He wouldn’t just hand Gibbs to the wolves; he would throw him to them. The only good thing so far was that he had not had an angry phone call from the FBI director, but did that mean he should be the one making an angry phone call?

He decided to take a trip to Abby’s lab. He wanted to get all of the facts straight before ringing up other agencies to accuse them of crime.

\-----

Tim was watching Abby pacing up and down her lab, muttering angrily. 

“Uh, Abs?”

“What Tim?” she swung around, hands on hips and glared at him.

“I was just going to ask had you thought of anything?”

“Does it _look_ like I’ve thought of anything?”

She threw her hand up in the air “we need him back McGee, we need… Vance?”

“That’s Director Vance Miss Scuito.”

Tim leaped up at the sound of his voice.

“Uh Director Vance!”

“McGee.”

“Can we, uh, help you with anything?”

“Actually yes, the two of you were who I wanted to see, this computer, cyber-attack” he waved his hand in the air, “call it what you will…”

He carried on, noting the smirk Tim was trying to hide, the way Abby was biting her cheeks.

“Are we 100% sure it came from the FBI? As if so I’ll have to talk to their director, and see that whoever initiated it is brought to justice.”

Tim’s mouth fell open, but Vance was almost impressed by the way Abby kept her cool.

“Actually Director I’ve already been in contact with the techies at the FBI.”

“Oh?” 

“Yessir, it was actually an attack on the FBI, it wasn’t internal. They said they’re trying to find out who did it, but the hackers were pretty good.”

The smirk had weaselled its way back onto Tim’s face and Vance was surprised at how natural Abby looked. If he hadn’t had an inkling that she was lying, he would have bought it hook, line and sinker.

He hid a smirk of his own – everything was going according to plan.

“Excellent, well I guess there’s no need to bother them again then”.

He was looking for it, so he saw how McGee’s shoulders relaxed, Abby though, she was maintaining a tight grip on her emotions, impressive as she wasn’t a field agent – or worrying, that she was better than the veteran agent standing next to her.

Spinning on his heels he left the lab, feeling Abby’s eyes burning holes in his back as he left.

Laughter reached his ears before the elevator doors had fully closed, followed by a muffled ‘Shh!’ before the doors finally shut.

Vance stuck a toothpick in his teeth and headed back to his office, he had a live feed to look at.

\-----

“Tim!”

Abby shoved McGee in the arm as he stuffed his fist in his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

Sticking her head out of the door, Abby’s shoulders relaxed.

“He’s gone.”

“Phew!” Tim wiped tears from his eyes before grinning at her.

“Did you see him? Waving his arm in the air” Tim mimicked the motion, sauntering around the lab until Abby was chuckling too, “he has no idea!”

“Well”, Abby sobered up, “he’s not stupid, he might know it’s us, and he knows a bit about computers, didn’t he do a course at the War College or something?”

“Pish” Tim waved his hand in the air again, “that’s nothing on MIT, and your brain as well!”

He cupped her face in his hands “don’t worry Abs, we’ve gotten away with it.”

She smiled at him before ushering him out of her lab amidst his protestations.

“I’ve got work to do Tim! And Vance will have a fit if he comes back down again and you’re still here!”

“That’s Director Vance Miss Scuito” Tim grinned at her.

She swatted him again “Come talk to me tomorrow, we’ll try and work out a plan for Tony.”

Tim’s response was drowned out by the sound of Abby switching on her music after finally getting Tim out of the lab. With a final wave Tim walked to the elevators and out of sight of the camera.

Abby stood in the centre of her lab, scanning the room she shook her head, exasperated, before heading back to work. Of course she was safe here. This was _her_ lab, even so, she made a mental note to wipe the security footage from today. As she settled back into her work, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was just not quite right.

\-----

Vance leant back in his chair, slowly chewing on a toothpick.

He drummed a little rhythm on the desk.

_What to do, what to do?_

He definitely had enough footage to bring them in here and ask them what they’re playing at, but he still didn’t know _why_ they’d done it. It seemed to be more than just bending a few rules to help Gibbs out.

And what did Tony have to do with anything? He had left of his own accord, understandably, to look after his daughter he had just discovered.

Whilst they hadn’t always seen eye to eye he had been sorry to see the agent go, and Tony had seemed to appreciate him dropping round before he moved to say goodbye.

Vance had seen the surprise and the gratitude in Tony’s eyes as he said he was just an email away, after all they were now both single fathers, and Tony – if he hadn’t already – was going to find out just how tough single parenthood is.

Bringing his mind back to the present Vance shut down the window and decided to leave Abby and Tim in the dark for the time being.

After all the longer he waited; the more likely they would give him more ammunition against themselves.

\-----

The case wrapped up and the BAU team landed back home early Thursday lunchtime. Rossi was in the office having not caught up to the rest of the team. He waved away everyone’s concern, but couldn’t shake Aaron’s eyes from boring into him. Even after he turned around to talk to Emily who was looking decidedly innocent – a sure fire tell to let him know something was up.

“Care to join me to get coffee for this lot?” he asked holding out his arm.

“Back in a mo guys!” he called over his shoulder, receiving heartening cries from Spencer and Morgan behind them. 

He turned around, ready to use Emily as a buffer against Hotch, but he was already back in his office with the blinds closed.

Rossi shivered anyway – he could _still_ feel Hotch’s eyes on him. That was some stare he had.

“You alright?” Emily asked as they walked to the little coffee shop opposite the BAU.

“Yes, fine” he shot her a sideways glance, “but I think you have a secret, and I think you are dying to tell me.”

Emily’s eyebrows shot up, _Damn, Rossi was good_.

“Well, you know our esteemed leader…”

Rossi looked at her, indicating she should get on with it.

“Well” Emily carried on, ignoring him, “I heard him giggle! On the phone”

Seeing that Rossi was looking less than impressed she played her final card.

“He’s got a date, tomorrow night.”

Now Rossi’s eyebrows travelled up his forehead.

That was big news.

\-----

Back at the office Rossi knocked gingerly on Aaron’s door.

“Enter.”

Dave was worried they would lock gazes, and all his secrets would come spilling out, but Aaron didn’t even look up. 

Disguising his anxiety Rossi calmly sat down, hands in his lap, until Aaron looked up.

His eyes didn’t flicker to the open door, but Rossi knew he had noticed it, and recognised it for what it was. A sign that this wasn’t the moment to start an in depth conversation, which could be overheard by the bullpen below - an escape route.

“Can I help you with something Dave?”

Dave tried not to fidget in his seat like a naughty schoolchild, but he wasn’t sure he had succeeded.

“Yes Aaron, I wondered if you were free? Say tomorrow night? We could have that catch up we talked about?”

“Are you free tonight instead?”

“No, sorry, poker night with the boys.”

It was alarming, the way the lie rolled so easily of his tongue, to one of his oldest friends.

Rossi watched Aaron’s face . It didn’t help, Aaron had a face of stone, no-one was ever 100% sure about what he was thinking.

“Ye-es then” Aaron replied, swilling the words around in his mouth, “I’m sure I can move a few things around.”

Rossi swallowed back the alarm he felt rising, Dammit! What about the date Prentiss had told him about?

“Your place?” he asked, at least then he could leave when he wanted.

“Perfect” Aaron replied, “See you then”.

Rossi kicked his bin over when he got back to his office, ignoring the curious gazes of the agents in the bullpen.

Well, _shit._

\-----


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An extra chapter tonight for the lovely people in the comments - they know who they are ;)

Hotch sighed, leaning back in his chair and massaging his temples.

_Why had he said yes?_

Dave was important, but Tony was too.

He hit the desk, cursing as the pen pot went flying, littering the floor with biros.

Noticing that the normal hubbub below had lessened, he carried on working, until he was sure all eyes on him had gone.

Only then did he shut the door, to start crawling around on the floor for pens.

\-----

Morgan stood up as Aaron closed his door, walking across to his other team members.

“So, what the hell’s up with Mum and Dad?”

Emily frowned, biting her nails before Spencer gently pulled them away

“I don’t know” Spencer replied, “Em?”

“No, me neither” she said before turning away, “but I just want to finish this case file and then go home.”

Morgan and Spencer shared a look of concern as they watched her walk back to her desk.

“What was that about? Morgan asked, “She didn’t even smile at the Mum and Dad joke, she always smiles at that!”

“You know I can hear you right?”

The men sat in awkward silence for a second.

“Well we do now” Spencer replied as Morgan moved off his desk and back to his own.

They worked in silence until the casefiles were done, before taking one last look at the closed doors of each of their superiors and heading home.

Emily headed off quickly to her car, throwing a wave behind her as she drove away.

“We need to find out what’s bothering her. Think it’s connected to Rossi and Hotch?”

“Could be” Spencer replied, absentmindedly pulling at an unravelling thread in his sweater, “the odds are fair.”

Morgan rolled his eyes “Well, I’ll see if Garcia knows anything, see ya later Spence.”

“Bye Morgan.”

\-----

Emily paced up and down her apartment until Sergio started twining around her legs picking up on her anxiety.

“Sorry baby” she whispered, picking him up at collapsing in a chair.

She stroked him as her mind raced, _Was it her fault? That they were so angry with each other? And why?_

Her hand stilled, they only had gotten angry after she had told Rossi about Hotch’s date.

Oh God.

Was Rossi _jealous?_

_WAS ROSSI IN LOVE WITH HOTCH AND SHE’D JUST RUINED IT??_

Tomorrow was going to be _interesting._

\----

“Hey baby girl.”

“Hot stuff! You rarely ring me at home – oh no, is everything okay? What’s happened?-”

“Garcia, baby, baby, baby” Morgan cut her off before she got too hysterical, “everything’s fine, I just had a question to ask you.”

“Oh, okay, ask away my chocolate mousse.”

Derek sighed “chocolate mousse? Really?”

“Yeah, you’re chocolatey, I love chocolate, and I could eat you with a spoon!”

“Okay, okay, okay” Derek laughed, “tell me baby, do you know any reason why Rossi and Hotch would be acting strange?”

The silence on the other end was answer enough.

“Baby we are going to be having words tomorrow!”

There was a squeak on the other end of the line and then Penelope hung up.

Derek smirked, oh yeah, they would definitely be having words.

\-----

Rossi hummed as he held a couple of ties up to his shirt. Flicking between the two he turned around and hung them both back up in his closet, undoing the topmost button on his shirt.

_Another?_

Okay, top two buttons, that was casual enough.

_All the easier to take off later._

Rossi shook his head as he felt his groin twitch, now was not the time. He looked at his watch, half an hour until he needed to set off for the restaurant Gibbs had booked.

He sat on the edge of his bed; he still needed to bring up the hacking attempt trying to access Hotch’s files. 

Suddenly he felt very old, and very tired, and not as excited as before.

He glanced at his watch again.

T minus 28 minutes and counting.

\-----

Gibbs finished his first bourbon, and looked around the restaurant. It was nice, not the kind of fancy that made him itch, but nice enough.

Looking at his watch he was surprised, though he was early, Rossi normally would be too, and if his watch was correct _and of that he had no doubt,_ Rossi wasn’t early, he wasn’t even on time.

He was late.

\-----

Rossi had been waiting outside the restaurant for ten minutes now.

“Just do it. Just do it just do it just do it.”

He ignored the funny looks he was getting from passers-by, and the wide berth they were giving him.

Smoothing down his hair one last time, he entered the restaurant and walked towards where Gibbs had been waiting.

“Jethro”

“Dave”

“Sorry I’m late”

“Everything okay?”

Dave sat down and looked into the steely blues opposite him. 

He linked his hands together, this was it.

“Jethro, do you know anything about an attempt by NCIS to hack into the FBI?”

Gibbs sat back, confused.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Dave.”

\-----

That had been… surprising to say the least, Gibbs thought.

“So the FBI has been hacked? By _NCIS?_ ” he asked.

“Sorry Jay, I thought I may as well ask as I was seeing you.”

“Wait, do you think it was me? That I hacked the FBI?”

Both men were ramrod straight now, staring each other straight in the eye.

“Jay”, Rossi leant over the table reaching for Jethro’s hand, “I wasn’t accusing you, I just thought that if an op was going on, you would know.”

Gibbs pulled his hand away, and sat staring at Rossi.

Rossi flung his hands in the air, reigning in his temper as he saw eyes flicker his way “Jay, cut the crap. You know as well as I do that if something was going down, you would know about it. That doesn’t mean I am accusing you personally.”

Rossi sat back in his chair, arms folded.

“Now are we going to have a nice meal together? Or should I just leave?”

“Okay”

“Okay? You want me to leave?” Rossi pushed his chair back, ready to storm out.

“No, okay, as in let’s eat.”

Rossi saw the smirk Gibbs was trying to hide and groaned, Gibbs was always good at making him rise to the bait.

“You asshole”

“And you love me for it” Gibbs grinned as the waiter walked over, “A scotch and a bourbon please.”

“Singles or doubles?”

“Oh” Gibbs replied, winking at Rossi, “definitely doubles.”

\-----

The rest of the meal went without a hitch and both men enjoyed themselves, the doubles coming in thick and fast.

“Coming back to mine?” Gibbs murmured in Rossi’s ear as he helped him with his jacket.

“Hmm, and why would I do that?” Rossi teased, shrugging it on.

“Look Dave, I don’t want some isol-isolated incident coming between us” Gibbs bucked his hips suggestively and Rossi had to pull him out of the restaurant, laughing as they stumbled into the street, at the patrons still staring at them from inside.

“What isolated incident?” Rossi started to say, “the way you blatantly, _blatantly_ checked out that waiter? Or the way you pinched some of my food when you thought I wasn’t looking, or - ”

He laughed as Gibbs pulled him into a kiss.

“Dave, Dave, Davey.”

Rossi laughed again, he hadn’t seen Gibbs this drunk in, well, years.

“No Dave, the Aaron thing.”

Rossi’s heart stilled.

“We are okay right?” Gibbs pulled him into another kiss, but this time Rossi felt numb.

He smiled as Gibbs pulled back to stare at his face.

“We’re fine” Rossi whispered, kissing Gibbs again.

Gibbs turned to hail a taxi, and Rossi tried to fix the image in his mind.

Gibbs, silhouetted by the lamp light, and the glow from the restaurant. His figure, enhanced Rossi thought by the suit he was wearing. The half- turn of his head as he gestured Rossi over.

His smile.

His eyes.

Rossi made to climb in after Gibbs but shut the door instead.

Gibbs wound down the window, confused.

“Sorry Jay, got to be up early tomorrow, I’ll see you soon though.”

Rossi pecked him quickly on the lips, before catching the driver’s eye.

He stood in the street watching, until the taxi turned a corner and vanished.

Rossi felt he had lost more just then than a roll in the sheets tonight.

He hailed down the next taxi, calling Gibb’s home phone to let him know he had gotten home.

His message was still flirty, still interested - so if Gibbs woke up with any recollection of the night, he wouldn’t think Rossi was onto him.

He’d think the wool was still firmly pulled over Rossi’s eyes.

Rossi slammed his door key into the lock, cursing as it slid and scratched the paint.

The wool had been over his eyes. That’s what irritated him.

Wasn’t that his job? Profiling behaviour, understanding people?

And yet until Gibbs had drunkenly confessed that it _was_ him that hacked Hotch’s details, or one of his team anyway, he still hadn’t seen it coming.

He had been lied to.

And that hurt.

What hurt more Rossi thought as he curled up in his bed that night, was the possibility that getting back into Gibbs’ life had been a calculated move by the man as well.

Rossi knew Gibbs never did anything without a reason.

The thought that Gibbs was using him, that he hadn’t wanted Rossi back in his life because he missed him, like Rossi missed Gibbs, kept him awake for a very long time.

\-----


	13. Chapter 13

Emily maintained her calm exterior as she walked into the BAU, though internally, she thought she was going to be sick.

She smiled at people as she headed to her desk, ducking her head when she saw Reid and Morgan glancing her way.

Thankfully no case had come in needing them, so at the moment they were all using the time to catch up on case reports. The last few weeks had been case heavy, and everyone, even Reid, had things to do.

After a while she settled into her work, the floor was reasonably quiet today, and it had gone eleven before she looked up to ease the pain in her neck, and noticed that Morgan had gone.

Glancing up at their offices, she noted both Hotch and Rossi had their doors shut, and anxiety started to curl in her stomach again.

“Hey Reid, where’s Morgan?” 

“Oh, he-er, went to go see Garcia”

Though she had tried to be casual it didn’t matter anyway, Spencer didn’t even glance up. That would have been suspicious enough, but his stilted answer had the knot in her stomach twisting tighter and tighter.

“Oh, okay.”

Spencer did look up then, though Emily had already turned back to her monitor. He frowned watching her bite her nails. He didn’t like it, it felt everyone in their little family was keeping secrets, and if they all weren’t careful, it would tear them all apart.

\-----

Morgan walked quickly to Penelope’s office, hoping to get out of her what she knew about Hotch and Rossi.

“Hey Mama, it’s me” 

Derek realised she already knew, as he went to open the door and found it already locked.

“Damn” he whispered as he leant his head on the door.

“Baby?”

“What is it love muffin?” her voice was muffled through the door, but she sounded normal, so Derek wasn’t too worried about the locked door between them.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?”

“Sorry” Penelope coughed unconvincingly, “I think I’m coming down with a bug.”

She coughed again for good measure.

“Penelope” he heard a muffled squeak from her side, “please let me in, I don’t want to have to pick your locks.”

“Ooh, you could pick my locks any day sugar”

Derek rolled his eyes to stop himself from laughing; he needed her to open this door.

“It’s serious, I think –” he looked around the hallway making sure he couldn’t be overheard, “I think something is up with Emily.”

“What? Is she okay? What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to tell you through a door! Let me in!”

“Oh okay, okay.”

Derek was surprised when the door opened instantly; she must have been right on the other side of it.

Shutting the door behind them, and sitting comfortably in a chair, Derek looked straight at Garcia.

“What do you know about Hotch and Rossi?”

“Derek! I thought this was about Emily! And I don’t know anything.”

“I think what you know, because I don’t believe that you don’t know anything” Garcia shifting in her seat confirmed his theory, “I think it might be related to Emily, she’s biting her nails again and I’m worried.”

“Oh! My poor baby!” Garcia spun round and tapped at her keyboard, bringing up the live video feed of the bullpen. The image wasn’t too clear but it showed Emily biting her nails, and the unsuccessful way she kept sitting on her hands trying to prevent herself. 

Garcia turned back round to face Derek.

“I just don’t see how what I _might_ know” she ignored the pointed glance from Derek, “could be linked to Emily.”

“Well I’m not leaving until you tell me what you know.”

“You know you’re kinda sexy when you’re stern.”

“Garcia”

“Okay, okay. But I’m meant to be _sworn_ to secrecy, so you _can’t_ tell anyone, okay?”

“Okay”

“Well someone tried to hack into the FBI and they were only searching for Hotch’s file, I don’t know how much they saw, only Hotch and Rossi know, and now you too I guess.”

“What? Why would someone be looking up Hotch? Is that definitely all you know?”

Garcia fidgeting was answer enough.

“Okay, what are you not telling me?”

She sighed, turning back to the keyboard.

“The hack came from NCIS, but that’s it, I swear that’s all I know.”

Derek saw her mask slip for a second, and saw how tired and worried she really was.

_And now he’d added to it by mentioning Emily_

“It’ll be fine I’m sure”

“Really?”

Derek couldn’t miss the hope in her eyes as she looked at him.

“I’m sure, how do you know it was them? Did they have, I dunno, some kind of identifier?”

“Actually they were very clever, and the signal was meant to be untraceable, but, well, I’m better.”

Her admission brightened her up a bit and Derek utilised it.

“Of course you are baby” he said getting up, “now, don’t go saying anything to anyone else okay?”

“Ooh, you’ve got your sexy stern face on again” Penelope said, biting the end of her pen.

“Baby, I’m always sexy” Derek flashed a wink before he sauntered out of her office.

“And don’t you know it” Garcia mumbled to herself, turning back to look at her monitors.

\-----

Derek’s phone went off as he walked back towards the bullpen.

_Hasn’t said anything, still biting her nails. Maybe you’d have better luck? SR_

_\- Dammit. He shouldn’t have said anything to Garcia, now she would be even more worried._

He wouldn’t put it past her to have cameras start monitoring them all, especially until this thing with Aaron blew over, but what Derek didn’t understand, was how this had anything to do with Emily?

The vibration in his hand startled him, and he nearly dropped his phone.

_Please find out what’s wrong with Em, she’s still biting her nails. Make sure she’s okay sugar?? x_

He text Garcia back straight away.

_Of course Mama, don’t worry x_

_:) x_

_\- He would definitely be getting to the bottom of this._

\-----

Emily watched as she saw Rossi open his door before heading down into the bullpen. She got up, her hurried movements alerting Reid who watched the pair under his fringe. 

“Hey Rossi?” Emily was alarmed at the look on Rossi’s face, if she hadn’t known better, she’d swear he was _miserable?_

“Prentiss” Rossi made to move round her, and she grabbed his arm quickly, releasing even more quickly at the dark look that flashed across his face.

“Er, sorry, I just wondered, could I join you? For, um, lunch? That is, if you’re going.”

“Sorry, not today, I’ve got a conference call in my office in ten.” He smiled genially and walked off, missing the look on Emily’s face. 

Spencer didn’t. 

Nor did Morgan as he nodded to Rossi and walked towards her. 

“Right, that’s it, you me and Reid are going to lunch.”

“But I’m, I’m not hungry.”

Both Reid and Morgan flashed her a look, and Emily’s shoulders slumped in response.

“Okay fine.” 

\----- 

Deciding not to go the FBI café, where there was the possibility of them being overheard, Derek led the other two to a diner a short walk away from the office. 

“This place does _the_ best food. Spencer smiled, but Emily didn’t even appear to have heard him. 

After they had settled and given their orders Derek went in for the kill. 

“Okay Em, I know you know something” he was impressed at the way her face didn’t even flicker, “and I _also_ know something, and I think these two somethings are related, so, what is it?” 

Emily glanced to the door, she didn’t really want to be here.

_\- I guess being able to talk about it will take some of the weight off my chest_

“Okay” she looked both Spencer and Derek in the eye, “I think Rossi is in love with Hotch, and I think I ruined it”. 

“What?” Spencer turned to Derek, wondering if he’d heard right. 

“Well” Derek rubbed his head in confusion, “that wasn't what I thought you were going to say.” 

\-----


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welll, if the last chapter was ankle deep in angst, this one is probably up to the knees... or eyeballs.... Oops! Also I will apoligise now for Rossi.. I'm so sorry!  
> So.... if that makes you want to keep reading...

Rossi slowly stirred the milk into his coffee, he felt guilty blowing Prentiss off like that but he didn’t really want to talk.

He tapped the spoon against the mug before throwing it in the sink, maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing, talking about it. About _him_.

After Hotch, Emily was the next person he would go to with his problems, though he had known the others longer, he thought they had a mutual soft spot for each other.

Squaring his shoulders he marched back towards his office, Emily would have known something was up anyway, as he had lied about having a conference call.

_\- Yup, sitting in his office sulking, that would definitely have given something away._

He smiled as he entered the bullpen, actually, it _would_ be good to talk about everything, the whole situation had made him so anxious he had lost his appetite completely – unheard of for him, and with nothing to temper it, the coffee churning around in his gut was making him feel rather ill.

The smile left his face as Rossi realised everyone had left.

He was alone.

_Again._

\-----

Tony hummed quietly as Tali slept peacefully on his lap. He still had a few months of his self-imposed 9 months of paternity leave left, however the feeling he should be at least attempting to look for a job were getting stronger each day. 

Plus, he had to admit he was starting to feel a bit isolated. He loved, _loved_ spending practically every day with Tali, he thought they both had needed it, however he did miss adult company.

His thoughts turned to Abby and McGee, then flickered away again as he winced at the memory.

He had tried talking to Abby about leaving, but she wouldn’t even let him get the sentence out before blasting her music so loud, he had to retreat from the lab before he risked blowing an eardrum.

He didn’t even try to talk to her about his relationship with Gibbs, Gibbs was definitely a father figure to her, and as such she was 100% a Daddy’s girl.

In the end it had been better to make a clean break, than try to get her and McGee to believe that the man they both cared for, and worked with, had been different outside of the office. Worse.

He thanked the Lord the day Tali had come to him, her presence had given him the kick he needed to get out of the relationship. There had been no way he was going to bring her up in Gibbs house.

No way.

The situation had been made difficult by the fact that Gibbs wasn’t a monster all the time, and in fact, very rarely.

Enough that he was happy to be away from him, yet not enough that he didn’t miss him.

Even if it was just a little bit.

\-----

Aaron paced up and down his office.

He was still in a dilemma about what to do tonight, he had double booked himself in the worst possible way, his best friend or someone he hoped he could get very, _very_ close to.

Tony or Dave.

The man he barely knew, or the man who had helped him get back on his feet after both his divorce, and Haley’s subsequent death.

He owed Rossi, and he thought Rossi needed this talk, especially after the way he had seen his face fall after entering the empty office. He didn’t know what was going on with him, but clearly, he needed someone to talk to.

He walked over to Dave’s office and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

“Hi Dave, I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to cancel on tonight.” 

Aaron didn’t think it was possible, but Dave’s face fell further.

“No worries Hotchner, some other time”, and Dave turned back to his work, dismissing him.

_\- Oh God, it was bad, he’d called him Hotchner._

“Are you free tomorrow? Or Sunday?”

Dave didn’t even look up as he answered “I’ll give you a ring.”

Aaron left feeling awful and sat down in his own office.

_\- God, he was such an asshole._

\-----

Dave waited until he had heard Aaron’s door close before pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

_\- What was wrong with him?_

Any other day, he would have been fine about changing plans, in fact yesterday he hadn’t even wanted to meet up with Aaron!

He looked at his watch, an hour and 30 minutes to go, and then he was going to hit the Scotch.

Hard.

\-----

The rest of the day passed quickly, and the whole team felt relieved when 5’o clock came and they hadn’t been called out on a case.

Emily, Morgan and Spencer left quickly, each wanting to go home and relax away from all of the angst surrounding them at work.  
Aaron only noticed they had gone as he locked up his office, smiling at Rossi as he prepared to leave too.

He noticed the smile on Dave’s face didn’t reach his eyes.

“Dave, if you need me, I can change my plans, we could meet tonight?”

Dave shook his head, “It’s okay Aaron, I’m looking forward to going home.”

_\- To seek oblivion in a bottle of Scotch._

“Go, go on with you,” he flapped his hand at Aaron, “I’ll see you Monday.”

“Okay, see you Monday.”

Aaron left with the nagging feeling that he had missed something.

He tried to put it to the back of his mind, so he didn’t ruin his date with Tony.

_Why did he feel like he had made the wrong decision?_

\-----

Emily groaned as she sunk into the tub, surrounding herself with bubbles.

It had been such a long day.

She couldn’t stop thinking about how _sad_ Rossi had looked when she had asked him out for lunch.

Oh well, she had done enough already hadn’t she, though Morgan seemed to think she had got it all wrong.

She sighed, sinking further into the bathtub.

She hoped he cheered up soon, if she couldn’t have him, she’d rather he was happy with someone else.

And though it would be difficult to see them together at work - even Hotch.

Her hand slipped lower, gently stroking until she felt the first tremors run through her body.

 _Especially_ Hotch.

God, the two of them together would be _so,_ she quickened the pace, _hot._

She wondered if Hotch was any good at blow jobs.

The thought sent her over the edge, sending a cascade of water onto the floor from her jerking limbs.

Ignoring the water soaking into her bath mat, she turned the taps on with her toes, until warm water covered her again.

It had been worth it.

\-----

Tony hummed distractedly as he chose a shirt to wear.

He checked his watch, _15 minutes until he had to leave,_ plenty of time.

Jessica had already come round earlier and taken Tali, she and Jack would be spending the night at hers.

Tony had been surprised that she was willing for her former brother-in-law to go out on a date with a man, but as she had explained, she just wanted him – and Jack, to be happy.

Tony had liked her immediately.

He buttoned up the shirt he had chosen – light blue and linen, before putting Jessica’s scribbled address in his pocket and grabbing a jacket.

Checking his pockets one last time, _wallet - check, keys – check,_ he locked the door and started walking.

He had thought he and Aaron would walk together, but Aaron had text him earlier saying he would be running very close to the line.

Actually, now Tony was out walking, he didn’t mind.

The weather was warm, with the hazy sunset turning the clouds deep pink and purple before changing to inky blue and indigo at the edges of the light.

It was beautiful.

And if he was being entirely honest, pretty romantic.

He smiled as he continued walking, for the first time in a while, everything felt A-OK.

\-----

Gibbs watched as Tony walked inside the restaurant.

This guy, _Aaron,_ had made him soft.

Tony hadn’t seen him, hadn’t been checking his surroundings, whereas not even six months ago Tony would have clocked him sipping coffee in the café opposite.

Tony was losing his edge because of this Aaron guy, and it was dangerous.

How could Aaron ever hope to look after Tony like he could?

\-----

Gibbs watched for another ten minutes before he saw Aaron himself walking briskly down the road.

He was watching his surroundings though, and he saw the strange man, bundled up against the cold watching the restaurant opposite intently.

As he turned for a second look a car drove down the street blocking his view, when it had passed, Aaron stared.

There was no-one there.

Just a trick of the light he shrugged, before finding Tony in the packed restaurant and sitting down.

He tried to push it to the back of his head, but the image still niggled at him.

The man had seemed so _familiar._

\-----

“Sorry I’m late” Aaron took his jacket off and hung it on the back of his chair.

“You’re three minutes late” Tony laughed, “nothing to worry about.”

“Late is late my father always said, it’s about the only thing he said which wasn’t total bullshit.”

They smiled awkwardly at each other as the waiter came and took their orders.

Aaron could feel the sweat beading on his forehead.

_Where had that come from? Why would he bring his father up during a date of all times?_

He hoped Tony would just gloss over it, he did not want to spend this time talking about his father, it was Rossi, getting in his head, he was worrying about his oldest friend, and that strange man in the café opposite…

“It’s okay, shitty fathers are a dime a dozen.”

Aaron smiled gratefully at Tony as he began to tell Aaron about the troubles he had been having with the couple next door and their overhanging tree branches.

 _Yes,_ he smiled, _definitely a keeper._

\-----

“So what made you pick environmental law then?” Tony asked before taking a bite of his meal.

Aaron shifted guiltily, “well I went into law straight out of university _\- True -_ and then decided that I missed being out in the field, so changed jobs" _\- Partially true -_

“And now you’re an environmental lawyer, wow.”

“Ye-eah.”

_\- False, so false -_

“Anyway, how about you? You’re a cop?”

“Yeah, was. Quite a long time ago now, in Peoria, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and then became a Navy Cop, for thirteen years would you believe?”

Aaron felt the blood leave his face.

“A Navy cop huh? Is that NCSI or something? I swear I’ve heard of that before.”

“Yeah” Tony looked surprised, “close enough, NCIS, I’m impressed, normally people have only heard of the big names in the Alphabet Soup, the FBI, CIA and stuff.”

Aaron couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Why had he lied to someone who would understand all about his crazy hours? 

“Actually Tony, I need to tell you something.”

“Aren’t you going to get that?”

Aaron looked confused, before hearing the tinny little ringtone on his phone, drawing the disapproving gazes of people around them.

He looked at the caller ID.

_Morgan?_

“I’m so sorry Tony, I have to take this…”

“No worries, I’ll be right here.”

Aaron could see the shutters closing behind Tony’s eyes.

_He didn’t want to leave him again._

But Morgan would have only phoned if it was important.

He walked away from the table.

“Hotchner.”

“Hotch it’s Morgan, I just got a call from a lady at a bar, It’s Rossi man, he’s blind drunk and they need someone to collect him, they rang me but I’m on the other side of the city at a new house I’m renovating…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go” Hotch pinched the bridge of his nose, “It’s my fault anyway.”

“Thanks Hotch, you okay?”

“I’m fine Morgan, can you text me the address?”

“Sure thing Hot-”

Aaron hung up, thinking of Rossi had made him realise why NCIS sounded so familiar. It wasn’t just that it was a member of the Alphabet Soup.

Wasn’t NCIS the agency that had hacked the FBI for data on him?

And wasn’t that around the time he had met Tony DiNozzo?

He turned around staring back at Tony through the restaurant windows.

He was idly pushing food around his plate; but as if he could feel Hotch’s eyes on him he looked up, then grinned, waving Aaron inside.

\-----

Morgan put his phone down, then stared blankly at the wall he had been painting.

_Did Hotch just hang up on him?_

And then say that he was the reason for Rossi’s behaviour?

Maybe Emily was right.

\-----

Aaron walked back inside; he felt so confused, was Tony using him for something?

“I’m sorry Tony, I have to go.”

Tony looked up, resigned. “It’s okay, duty calls – I know what that’s like, believe me!”

Aaron smiled tightly as he put some notes down on the table and shrugged his jacket on.

“Hey” Tony interjected, standing up and holding Aaron’s arm, “Is everything okay?”

“Yes fine.”

Tony’s hand dropped back towards the table where he fiddled with some cutlery.

“O-okay, before you go, what were you going to tell me?”

Aaron looked into Tony’s eyes, trying to see if there was any deception in them.

He couldn’t tell.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember.”

“Oh okay, maybe next time then?”

Aaron watched as Tony stepped forwards, clearly wanting a kiss before he went, but he turned away quickly.

“Maybe.”

In the window’s reflection he saw Tony slump back down in his chair, and fold his arms.

Aaron couldn’t tell if it was done defensively or angrily, his thoughts were swirling too quickly around his head for him to concentrate.

Did Tony like him? Or was this all just part of a greater scheme?

He felt anger flare deep within him.

It was one thing to mess with him, but bringing Jack into it was another matter.

Hailing a taxi he tried to clear his head.

One step at a time.

First step - Rossi.

\-----

Tony settled up the bill and then walked home.

The sky which had seemed so full of promise earlier on in the evening was now dark and clouded, causing him to wrap his jacket around him tightly against the chill in the air.

Entering the dark house he tried putting lights on to make it more cheery, but it didn’t hide the fact that he was alone.

No Aaron. No Tali. Just him.

He looked at the clock, but it was way too late to pick up Tali, if she was woken now she wouldn’t sleep for hours, and then they’d both be cranky tomorrow. No, better to pick her up in the morning.

Tony considered turning the TV on, but the programmes would all be crap at this hour.

His eyes kept sliding back to his phone he had placed on the coffee table.

He grunted, walking past it and opening up the drinks cabinet.

He didn’t like to drink to excess, not after seeing what alcohol had done to both his parents.

But sometimes he thought it called to him in his blood.

Those times it was often more difficult to resist.

But why not? Tony thought angrily as he poured a healthy measure of the nearest bottle into a glass. After all, he was alone. Aaron had left him – again.

Taking a sip, he recognised the taste immediately.

Bourbon.

Two drinks and twenty minutes later he picked up his phone, before sliding ungracefully onto the sofa.

Another two drinks and another twenty minutes after that, he made up his mind and pressed call.

The ringing seemed to echo in the empty house, and Tony nearly chickened out, his thumb hovering over the end call button.

Just as he was about to give up the ringing stopped.

“Hello?”

Tony held his breath, blinking back tears, unsure if he had made a huge mistake.

“Tony?”

Tony shakily exhaled.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Tone what is it? You’re scaring me.”

“I’m sorry Gibbs, I must have – must have pressed a wrong button.”

Tony tried and failed to not feel guilty for the heavy sigh that came from the other end of the phone.

“It’s okay Tone, I thought the others must have rung you or something, never mind, have a good eveni-”

More alert now, Tony sat up.

“Wait, what are you talking about?”

“Oh it’s, er, nothing Tone, don’t worry, I, er-”

“Jethro, tell me right now, are you okay?”

Tony heard Gibbs slump down, accompanied by a little yelp of pain. He winced in sympathy, worrying about what it was that Gibbs had done.

“What have you done?”

“Fine, I got hit by a car today, I’m fine-” Gibbs continued, cutting off Tony who was starting to babble, “I’m just a bit sore.”

“How bad. Tell me truthfully.”

“Okay, okay! I’d forgotten how bossy you are” Tony smiled hearing Gibbs chuckle, “I’m off work for a week, had stitches, x-rays, meds the whole shebang.”

Tony gripped the phone so hard he was surprised it didn’t break. That sounded _bad,_ and he couldn’t help but worry, no matter what had happened in the past.

“Tony” Gibbs murmured, after the silence had dragged on for a couple of minutes, “I’m okay, really.”

“Did you really forget how bossy I am?” Tony whispered, shutting his eyes, as if it could make the situation easier.

Gibbs huffed amusedly “Of course not Tone, I-” Tony heard him take a deep, ragged breath, “Of course not. Never.” Gibbs whispered.

Tony smiled shakily before making up his mind.

“Stay put, I’m coming over.”

\-----


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woop woop! Over 20,000 words, a big deal for me! Thanks to all the comments, your enthusiasm keeps me and this story going guys!

Gibbs smiled as he hung up the phone. He knew his plan had been drastic, so drastic he hadn’t told Abby, and McGee had flatly refused. There was no point talking to Ducky, he and _what was it Tony had always called him?_ the Autopsy Gremlin weren’t really on speaking terms outside cases, as they had firmly stated they believed Tony had done the right thing.

He guessed Ducky had been cataloguing Tony’s scars and injuries, and knew they hadn’t been wholly case related. He shrugged, he wouldn’t mind losing Ducky as a friend, and he never cared much for Jimmy anyway, if only he could have his Tony back.

What did Ducky know anyway, that was just how they were together; lots of couples like to get a bit rough in the bedroom every now and again.

He winced as he elevated his injured leg on the sofa, jumping in front of a car though, that was truly inspired. He knew bleeding heart Tony would care, especially if Aaron left him halfway through his date.

And he had, exactly as planned.

He knew Rossi would be feeling low, and would head to his favourite bar, he also knew that he was such a regular that the couple who owned it kept behind a special bottle of Scotch just for him.

He only drank when it had been a bad day - a case hadn’t gone well, he was getting another divorce.

It had been the easiest thing to swap when he flashed false credentials to have a look around a couple of nights previously. The couple had been confused, and angry even, when he had smashed the half full bottle ‘by accident’, but had soon cheered up when he came back claiming he had bought another from the fancy booze shop down the road.

They had smiled and agreed to keep it a secret from the other law enforcement officer, as Gibbs explained jokily that he would never hear the end of it. Not that they’d find out who he was anyway, Abby had given him a crash course in prosthetics, and McGee had cooked up the new ID along with a whole host of others many years ago when he thought he would have to go undercover.

The couple smiled as Gibbs left, even offering a free taste of the bottle he had just bought. But he declined and headed on his way. He wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole, not after he had doctored it.

Idiots.

\-----

Aaron ran out of the cab before it had even stopped moving, he could see Rossi already on all fours outside the bar.

He retched and the vomit was stained with blood.

He ran up to the woman holding onto him.

“Hi, I’m Dave’s friend, what happened?”

He helped the woman drag Dave up into a sitting position, noting the way Dave’s eyes didn’t focus.

“I don’t know!” the woman looked around wildly, “I’ve sent for an ambulance, this just isn’t right, where is it?”

Aaron heard faint sirens in the distance, “Don’t worry, it’s coming, can you tell me what happened before it gets here?”

“Um, yes, of course, well Dave comes here all the time; he’s just been drinking like normal, moved onto the bad day stuff and then he started weaving around, we thought he’d just had too many, and then he collapsed!”

Aaron frowned, “bad day stuff?”

“Yeah, it’s a bottle we have for him, I mean, it’s no Balvenie! But it’s more special than the regular stuff and he drinks it after a bad day, like, a case has gone wrong or something.”

Aaron could hear the ambulance getting closer and closer.

“Would you be able to keep that bottle for one of my team to collect tomorrow? Don’t let anyone drink or touch it!”

The woman nodded shakily.

Aaron watched helplessly as the ambulance came and the crew loaded him inside. Following him, Aaron sat beside Dave, holding his hand as the ambulance screeched towards the hospital, the crew inserting IVs, calling ahead to the emergency department using words Aaron couldn’t understand.

It didn’t look good.

\-----

Tony thanked the taxi driver before staggering slightly into the hedge at the end of Gibbs garden. He giggled, and then straightened his shoulders.

“Act sober.” He mumbled to himself before walking up the drive.

He rang the doorbell before remembering he never had to do that at Gibbs house. Still it felt wrong to just walk in.

“It’s open.”

Tony stepped over the threshold of the house he had lived in for over five years, after they had decided to move in together, and he sold his flat. 

As he entered the sitting room, and saw Gibbs smiling, covered in the patchwork blanket Tony had made him of all their old agency sweatshirts, he smiled back.

It felt like coming home.

\-----

Aaron paced outside the operating room; Rossi had been rushed straight in. They didn’t know what it was, but it looked like Rossi had been poisoned.

_\- Who the hell would have poisoned Rossi, and why?_

Little over an hour later Rossi was rolled back out. Aaron thought he looked deflated somehow, surrounded by the vast expanse of the bed. He was still under anaesthetic and would be out for at least another hour.

Checking his watch, it was way too late – or early, to call Tony, he decided to ring Morgan, who had left three increasingly frantic messages. Morgan picked up on the first ring.

“Is Rossi okay?”

“He’s fine, the doctors have said that once he wakes up he will be a bit woozy but everything will be back to normal in under 24 hours.”

“Oh thank God.”

“Yeah, I know.”

They both were silent, the fear that they could have lost Rossi slowly dissipating.

“I’ll let the others know” Morgan said finally.

“That would be great” Aaron sighed, “I really think he needs his family around him right now.”

After hanging up on walked slowly back to Rossi’s ward, he was so tired that even spending a couple of hours sleeping in one of the ward’s uncomfortable chairs was looking appealing.

Rossi was still out for the count when he got there, so, after lifting the chair closer to the bed, Aaron lay his head down and slept.

He was awoken by Rossi gently poking him in the face. Aaron looked up blearily.

“Really Dave?” then he realised Dave was trying not to make any large movements and he felt awful again.

“How are you feeling?”

Rossi opened his mouth a couple of times, before grunting.

“I’ve been better.”

“We really need to talk” Aaron sighed.

\-----

“Hey” Tony whispered, suddenly awkward in the dim light. He took a seat in the chair opposite Gibbs, shucking off his shoes and curling up before he’d even realised what he’d done.

“Hey yourself” Gibbs winced as he shifted on the sofa.

“So, what happened?”

“Nothing much” Gibbs sighed, “the usual, hit by a car during a case when the suspect ran.”

Tony shifted awkwardly, he wanted to have a look, make sure Jethro _– Gibbs,_ was okay, but at the same time he didn’t.

“Er, want a drink?” Tony got up to hide his confusion, and headed over to the drinks cabinet.

“No thanks, doc’s orders you know, would interact with the meds.”

“Since when have you listened to doctors?” Tony walked back, clutching a tumbler in his hands.

“Since I decided to change” Gibbs said simply.

Tony rolled the tumbler around in his hands, before draining the bourbon in one gulp. This was not what he had expected to hear. He hadn’t known what to expect when he showed up, or even knew _why_ he had shown up, but he could feel himself slipping back into the same old patterns.

And it wasn’t entirely uncomfortable.

The clock on Gibbs mantelpiece quietly chimed half four, and both men realised how tired they were. Tony yawned, then yawned again as Gibbs laughed.

“God, I really should be going.” Tony mumbled blinking rapidly to try to wake himself up.

“Okay, cab numbers are still hanging up by the phone.”

Tony tried to hide his surprise, but didn’t think he’d managed it very well. He thought Gibbs would have asked him to stay, had been sure of it even. Maybe he had moved on too. 

He snorted, _moved on, what, like he had?_ Aaron hadn’t even been able to look him in the eye at the end of their meal, and Tony wasn’t even sure what he had done.

“Tone? You okay?”

“Yeah, fine” Tony looked up and smiled.

“Because, you know you can always stay here right? No matter what went on before, both rooms upstairs have clean sheets; you can take your pick.”

Tony smiled crookedly “so you’re not going to lock me in the basement then? Force me to sleep on a cold floor?”

“No, I’ve changed.”

Tony looked into his eyes and wondered if he could believe him, if Gibbs even knew what the truth was.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me, though you’re here, which gives me some hope” Gibbs continued, taking a deep breath he said “I’m sorry, so sorry, I-”

Tony cut him off with a sweep of his hand.

“You just broke Rule 6.”

“I’ve broken lots of Rules Tone. And I’m sorry for all of them.”

“Tell me.”

“Rule 12, never date a co-worker.” 

“Okay, but I’m sure you can do better than that.”

“Rule 1, never screw over your partner. I did that to you Tony, and I’m sorry.”

Tony couldn’t look him in the eye, this _hurt,_ he’d never expected an apology and now it was here, it was like the dam holding all his emotions towards Gibbs was cracking.

“Rule 8, never take anything for granted, well, we both know how that turned out, and _God,_ I miss you every day.” Gibbs voice cracked, and Tony couldn’t, wouldn’t, look at him. They had been here before, after each incident, he wasn’t going to fall into Gibbs’ arms, and make that same mistake.

“And Rule 51 of course.”

Tony looked up, confused.

“This a new rule?”

“Sometimes, I’m wrong.”

This was new, Gibbs had never, _ever_ admitted that he was wrong before. Making up his mind, he stood.

“I’ll see you in the morning” he walked up the stairs and settled himself in the spare room; it would be too much to sleep in the bed they had once shared.

Peeling off his clothes until he was just in his boxers, he grimaced; he must have spilt some bourbon down himself at some point and now his clothes were smelling ripe.

He heard Gibbs moving around before a muffled yelp, as it sounded he had hit himself on the coffee table. With a sigh Tony got up and headed back down. He grabbed his clothes as he went, hoping to shove them in the washing machine. There would be enough time to dry them as well, before he had to pick up Tali, if he didn’t oversleep.

After putting the wash on, he headed to the lounge where he saw Gibbs staggering towards the lamp.

“You idiot, all you had to do was ask and I would have done it for you!”

Gibbs looked up, and Tony saw him swallow. He hadn’t thought about the fact that he was practically naked.

“I didn’t want to bother you” Gibbs said finally, heading back to the sofa.

“You’re hurt you wally, it’s not a problem.”

He helped Gibbs settle back into the sofa. At one point their heads were so close Tony thought Gibbs would kiss him, but he simply rest his head back on the pillow. 

_\- Maybe he had changed. The old Gibbs wouldn’t have resisted, wouldn’t even have asked, he would have taken what he wanted, whether or not he had a right to it._

“Well, good night then” Gibbs mumbled.

“Night.”

Tony got up and switched off the light, leaving them both in darkness. This was weird. New Gibbs. But he kinda liked it.

He walked towards the stairs, then yelped as he hit his own legs on the coffee table. Hearing Gibbs snort, he hobbled towards the sofa.

“Think that’s funny do you?” Tony chuckled, hands on hips.

Gibbs laughed “Want me to kiss it better?” 

They both froze. That had been one of their _things._ Tony was always bumping into things, or hurting himself in the basement, and he had always made Gibbs kiss it better. Of course, they were adults, so it normally led to a full on session of making out before one would drag the other upstairs.

“Sorry Tony, that was inappropriate of me.”

Tony’s mouth dropped. Gibbs had apoligised _again,_ for something that didn’t really need an apology. Maybe he had changed.

“I think I like this new Gibbs” Tony whispered, before kissing him soundly on the lips.

\-----

Rossi nodded tiredly.

“His name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS, he was the one who had his people look into you, though I don’t know why.”

“How do you know? How do you know him?” 

“He told me, and I er…”

Aaron squeezed his hand.

“It’s okay Dave, whatever it is, it’s okay.”

Rossi shut his eyes.

“He was, my lover, I’d guess you’d say. For a long time off and on” finding bravery in the silence he carried on, “he got in contact recently, wanted to start again, I believed, I trusted him, but he let slip about you, and, well, I guess he was just using me to get to you, for whatever reason”.

Aaron squeezed his hand again.

“It’s okay Dave, really.”

They sat in silence for a while, Aaron, thoughts churning in his head, whilst Rossi felt more peaceful than he had done for a while.

“Dave, can I ask a personal question?”

“Of course” he shifted in the bed.

“Why had you been on and off for a while? Why weren’t you together?”

“Well, we both have three marriages under our belts, it just never seemed to be the right time, and then he got involved with someone from work, and seemed pretty happy, so, it just stopped.”

Aaron felt sick, “do you know the name of this colleague?”

Dave yawned “sorry” he mumbled, “um, no, I don’t think so, he might have told me, but it would have been over ten years ago” he yawned again, “I think he was another Italian though, I remember that.”

Aaron left him to sleep, promising he would come pick him up later. 

His gut churned. Tony could be considered an Italian name, and DiNozzo definitely had an Italian ring to it.

Cursing he picked up his phone and dialled.

“Ugh, hello? There better be a really good reason why you-”

“Garcia”

“Oh! Sorry! Yessir! Do we have a case? Do I need to come in?”

“No, I’m sorry for waking you but I need you to track this number” he rattled off Tony’s number, as he heard Garcia tapping away. He didn’t want to think about how she was doing this from home, but he didn’t want to ask, after all she was doing him a favour.

“Okay, the numbers still in Virginia, still in Quantico, it’s at a little house in the suburbs.”

“Who owns it?”

“One Leroy Jethro Gibbs, do you want me to find out more?”

“No. Thank you; please keep this quiet from the rest of the team.”

“Of course Hotch… is everything okay?”

“It will be.”

Garcia hung up. That had been weird; she’d never heard the bossman like that before. It hadn’t been anger in his voice. It had been rage.

Tightly controlled rage.

\-----


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long! I even forgot how to make italics! I wanted to make this chapter longer, but figured you guys would rather I just got some words down on the page!

Emily groaned as she heard her phone go off. 

_\- Please don’t be a case, please don’t be a case_

She read the text she had got from Morgan three times before it finally sunk in. 

Rossi had been poisoned, he was in hospital.

She threw a jumper over her camisole, and wrestled some trousers on before grabbing her keys, gun and I.D. and running out of the door. 

\-----

Aaron jumped up, drawing his weapon as the door to Rossi’s room barrelled open. He relaxed as Emily skidded to a stop, looking down the barrel of the weapon he was pointing at her.

“Sorry” she looked over at Rossi, still asleep in the bed, “I didn’t think”.

“It’s okay” Aaron replied, whispering too, as he re-holstered, “I’m just a bit jumpy”.

“Is he okay?”

“He’ll be fine, Morgan should have made it clear that you didn’t need to rush here on a Saturday”.

“He’s family” Emily said simply, “that’s what family is for”.

Aaron nodded, wondering if there was more going on than just concern for a colleague. He looked at his watch and sighed.

“Emily, I have to pick Jack up in a couple of hours, if you’re staying do you mind if I leave? I just don’t want to leave him on his own”.

“That’s fine” she sat down in the chair he had just vacated, “am I likely to need my gun?”

She watched Hotch still and turn to face her. 

“How much did Morgan tell you about what happened?”

She frowned as she felt the first stirrings of unease in her stomach.

“He just said that Rossi been poisoned, but that he would be fine in 24 hours, I assumed he meant food poisoning?”

She could tell that wasn’t the case before Hotch replied.

“No, I’m afraid that Rossi was deliberately targeted, I’m going to ask the Bureau for round the clock protection after I’ve picked up Jack and sorted some other things out.

Emily watched his face harden, and wondered what he meant. She was sure anyway, that she was glad she wasn’t one of the things that needed sorting.

\-----

Tony woke with the sun shining in his eyes from the open curtains. He stretched before checking his watch and jumping out of bed. He hadn’t left enough time to dry his clothes before picking up Tali. He ran down the stairs, clearing the final few with a single jump and headed into the kitchen. 

“Woah, where’s the fire?” 

Tony grinned, Gibbs was up and about, already on his first mug of black coffee – no surprise there, and he could see his clothes hanging out on the line outside.

“There still a bit damp I’m afraid, I didn’t remember they were in there when I got up”.

“No worries” Tony smiled, “it’s my fault, I shouldn’t have overslept. Or drank so much.” He grimaced.

Gibbs slid a mug of coffee across the counter towards him. Tony took a sip and smiled when he tasted just the right amount of cream and sugar. He hadn’t forgotten. Catching sight of his watch again he groaned, he had to leave now to be able to pick up Tali.

“Need a lift?”

Tony weighed the offer up in his head. 

“Nah, I’ll be alright thanks, as long as I leave now, but er…” he glanced at his damp clothes again, “could I borrow some clothes?”

Gibbs smirked and gestured upstairs.

“Get em yourself, I’m not limping up there.”

Tony ran back upstairs, pausing before entering the room he had once shared with Gibbs. Rifling through the wardrobe he had mixed emotions about finding nothing of his within them. On one hand he was pleased that nothing of his remained, he’d hated to think of anything of his left behind, but on the other… it was weird. So many years of a shared history, and nothing to show for it. Quickly he grabbed an old Marines sweatshirt of Gibbs that he’d always liked, and shoved some jeans on.

He ran back downstairs and started scrambling around in the cupboards, looking for the pamphlets they used to keep for taxi companies and takeaways.

“I’ve already called you a taxi.” 

“Oh, thanks.” Tony hands stilled, feeling suddenly invasive in the cupboards that were no longer his.

“Hey, er, thanks for letting me stay last night, I, um, guess it was kind of weird.”

He turned to look at Gibbs who glanced at him over the top of his mug.

“It can’t have been easy, to let me stay here.”

“It wasn’t a problem Tone.”

They looked at each other, properly, for the first time in a while. In the early morning light Tony saw a man who seemed softened somehow, it was nice. Maybe he should have accepted Gibbs' offer.

His thoughts were interrupted by Gibbs clearing his throat.

“It was fine Tone, don’t worry.”

He cleared his throat and Tony could see there was more to say.

“What, what is it?”

“I just-, Tone I’m sorry things didn’t work out between us. I just, I hope you’re happy with your new man. Aaron was it?”

Tony nodded, he didn’t want to think about Aaron right now.

“Well, I know he can look after you anyway, Mr FBI” Gibbs chuckled.

Tony’s mouth went dry.

“What?”

“He works with someone I used to work with, a David Rossi? Rossi was a Marine, but I think he works in the Behavioural Analysis Section or whatever they call it”.

Tony was prevented from answering by the blare of the waiting taxi outside.

“I’ve gotta go.”

Tony lurched towards Gibbs, as if for a kiss before he realised he was on autopilot, and they weren’t together any more. Gibbs smiled sadly, and Tony squeezed his arm before heading outside as the taxi bared its horn again. 

As he sat in the taxi on the way to Jessica’s he couldn’t stop going over and over Gibbs’ words.

_Aaron was FBI?_

Gibbs smiled as he rinsed out both their mugs, before setting them to dry on the drainer.

_There went another nail in the Tony/Aaron coffin._

\-----


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a baby chapter today, more soon!

Tony pulled up outside Jessica’s house. Asking the taxi driver to wait, he jogged to the front door and rang the bell. The door was opened almost immediately by a smiling Jessica, bouncing Tali on her hip.

“Hi Tony”

“Hi Jess, how’s she doing?”

Jessica passed Tali over to him.

“Oh, fine, the whole night! You’ve trained her well” she laughed, “where’s Aaron, are you taking Jack as well?”

“I don’t know where he is”

Jessica looked at him sharply.

“What do you mean?”

“He bailed on me last night, during dinner, I haven’t seen him since. I can take Jack if you want though, I’m in all day.”

Jessica looked concerned before checking her watch and muttering.

“I have a hair appointment soon, but I know Aaron would rather he picked Jack up himself.”

Tony decided to poke his finger in the wound.

“Well, it makes sense right, he’s a Fed.”

“Yeah, I guess” Jessica sighed, and Tony thought she suddenly looked like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

“It’s not just that… Oh – problem solved.”

Tony turned to see Aaron stepping out of a rather heavy duty looking vehicle, he smiled, but it wasn’t returned by the man (who now Tony was looking, _really_ looking) couldn’t have been anything else but a G-man.

Aaron walked briskly up the steps and ignoring Tony completely smiled at Jessica, kissing her on the cheek.

“Jack okay?”

“Er, yes” Jessica looked between the two men, confusion creating furrows in her forehead.

“I’ll go get him.” She tactfully left the doorway.

As Jessica left Aaron turned to Tony.

“I want you to leave please.”

“Excuse me?” Tony shifted Tali on his chest. She had fallen back asleep again, and was now quietly drooling on his jumper.

“I want you to leave” Aaron repeated, as if the whole situation was perfectly reasonable.

“What the hell’s going on Aaron?”

Tony could see the anger flare in Aaron’s eyes, a sight that both inflamed his own anger further, and yet also thrilled him.

“What do you mean ‘what the hell’s going on’, I know about your little plot Tony. I know your boss is involved. What I’m not sure at the moment is for what purpose. But I will find out. So stay away from my team, stay away from Jessica, and stay the hell away from me and Jack.”

Tony was almost at a loss for words.

“I _don’t_ know what you’re talking about, what plot? And what does Gibbs have to do with anything?”

“The games up Tony, you can stop lying.”

Now Tony was lost for words. He had been accused of many things but after Jeanne, he had sworn to himself that he would never be thought of as a liar again.

“Tell me Tony, were you and ‘Gibbs’ ever romantically involved?”

Unsure of where the line of questioning was headed, Tony replied.

“Well, yes, but not for over six months!”

If Tony hadn’t been looking, he would have missed the miniscule tightening of Aaron’s jaw.

“So this is about the fact that you’re jealous?” Tony was incredulous, “of a relationship that was over months ago? I don’t understand! I like _you_ Aaron! Even though you always end up leaving me.”

Aaron’s dark eyes were unreadable, he was good at masking the hurt, had to have been for every time Hayley had flung barbed words at him, every time Strauss had tried to get him in trouble with the Director. Calm voice and poise, he was an expert now at deception.

“Let’s be honest here, you were trying to get close to me” he held up his hand as Tony opened his mouth, “for whatever reason, and now we can both stop pretending –”

“ _How dare you._ ” the words were spoken with such venom even Tony seemed taken aback.

“I don’t know why you suddenly seem to have your head up your ass, but I don’t know where all this, all this _bullshit_ is coming from. And talking of liars, who exactly _are_ you? The environmental lawyer or the Fed?”

Aaron couldn’t respond. So Tony _had_ known he was FBI. The final shred of hope he had been clinging onto, that desperately wanted all of this to be a misunderstanding vanished. 

Looking up Aaron saw Jessica and Jack fidgeting in the hallway. He turned to Tony one last time.

“How can you look me in the eye and talk to me about lying” he said quietly, “where were you last night?”

“What, you mean after you _left_ me?” Tony taunted.

Aaron pointed at the Marine insignia, still just visible under Tali’s sleeping form.

“I don’t need to be a genius to work out where you went, so don’t pretend to be all torn up over me.”

“Don’t turn this back on me, wait, how do you know Gibbs was a Marine anyway?”

“Good bye Tony.”

Aaron turned away and shut the door behind him.

Tony stood and stared blankly at the door until the taxi driver beeped his horn a couple of times.

“Mate do you need a lift or not?”

“Yeah, coming.”

As he got in the cab, Tony still wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. He knew however that hearing those accusations from Aaron hurt more than being beaten by Gibbs.

Much more.

\-----


	18. Chapter 18

When Rossi woke he felt… okay. Much better than he had done on being admitted to hospital, even if not 100% yet. His head was pounding like he’d been up all night drinking, which he supposed, in a way, he had. He slowly stretched his legs, trying not to make any sudden movements which would turn his headache into a full blown migraine, and was startled when the movement elicited a groan from further down the bed. Leaning forward he saw a sleek, dark, head nestled in a space by his knees.

Emily.

An arm emerged, plumping the pillow that had jostled with his stretching back into its initial position.

He lay back down gently, happy in the knowledge that she was here, and by extension, the rest of the team. 

He didn’t feel alone any more.

\-----

Garcia allowed herself an extra few minutes in bed to make up for the interrupted sleep from the night before. She picked up her phone as her final alarm went off, and frowned as she noticed that she had missed a message.

Rossi.

Her hand flew to her mouth as she read the text from Derek. Rossi was in hospital, her shoulders slumped as she skimmed the rest of the message. He was okay.

She started bustling around her apartment, packing a bag of goodies to take to Rossi.

_\- I wonder if it had anything to do with that phone call last night?_

Shaking her head she turned away from her laptop. The Bossman wouldn’t want her nosing in his affairs.

She didn’t even last five minutes before finding her fingers flying across the keyboard, opening search engines.

_\- One little look won’t hurt_

\-----

“Will you tell me what that was all about?” Jessica whispered as she hugged Aaron good bye.

Aaron sighed, squeezing her a little bit tighter before he finally let go.

“Yes, when I find out myself.”

Jessica plastered a smile on her face and waved at Jack, who was already buckled in. The solemn little face looking back at her made her want to cry. What the hell were Aaron and Tony playing at? She hadn’t seen Aaron as happy for years when he’d introduced her to Tony, and now it seemed it was all crashing down around everyone’s ears, especially Jack’s.

One final wave as the car pulled away, and she saw Jack curl up clutching his wolf toy which was looking more and more battered each time she saw it.

\-----

Garcia raced into the BAU on the Monday, nearly mowing down a young agent who was too slow to see her approach. 

“Sorry!” 

She came to a stop in front of Spencer and Morgan, who had both taken a step back apprehensively.

“Hey Mama… everything okay?”

“I don’t know, nothing makes any sense you know?”

Derek rolled out his chair and knelt beside her.

“Well tell us what you know”

Garcia nodded before beginning.

“So we all know that NCIS tried to hack into the FBI for information on Hotch, I still don’t know _why_ , but I have found out that Hotch got a new neighbour recently…. A Mr Tony Dinozzo who _previously_ worked for NCIS. That’s not all…”

She cut off Morgan who was opening his mouth with a sweep of her hand.

“His house and phone number are also completely off the books. I mean _really_ off the books.”

“Aw did you struggle babe?”

Derek winced at the scathing look Garcia sent back.

“Obviously not, but I was surprised how many layers I had to get through to find out. I just don’t know why”.

They all sat back, thinking.

“He’s not evading tax or anything?”

“Nope, pays his bills on time, no overdraft…”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to be found.”

Garcia and Morgan looked at Spencer who was tucking his hair behind his ears.

“What? It’s what I’d do”.

“One last little _tiny_ thing...”

Garcia waited until both sets of eyes were on her before relinquishing her last gem.

“He’s acquired a baby.”

“What do you mean he’s ‘acquired a baby’, do you mean he’s stolen one?”

Garcia laughed at the shocked look on Spencer’s face.

“Oh Spence, of course not. But less than two months ago he started buying nappies and baby food, and less than one month ago he moved near to the Bossman. It’s all connected somehow, my babies are still digging deeper though, so hopefully I’ll have more soon.

“It sounds like some kind of undercover thing to me”

Derek cracked his knuckles.

“I don’t like this. I don’t like any of this. Do you think he’s using the kid to get close to Hotch and Jack?”

Garcia placed her hand on Derek’s arm, she hated it when he started cracking his knuckles. And when he got that look in his eye.

She flinched as his hand lashed out and hit the desk. He ignored the stares from the other agents around the bullpen, who quickly turned away when Garcia shot them a glare.

“Nobody hurts this family. Let’s work out what the hell he’s up to”.

\-----

“Hey, what is all this stuff?” McGee walked into Abby’s lab and was startled to see a range of false noses, hair pieces, even eyebrows being packed away into a large aluminium case. He poked at a pair of eyebrows that looked suspiciously like Ducky’s until his hand was slapped away by Abby.

“Just some prosthetics, Gibbs borrowed them, so I’m just packing them away to take home.”

“What on Earth did he need them for?”

“None of your business McGee.”

McGee flinched as Gibbs’ hand smacked into the back of his head.

“Yes Boss, er, do we have a case?”

“Yes, grab your gear”

As McGee rushed off Gibbs placed a kiss on Abby’s forehead. If anyone had walked in they wouldn’t have noticed the transfer of paper between their hands.

\-----

Garcia wandered back to her office and slumped into her chair. The three of them had not thought of anything she had not already thought of as to why this _DiNozzo_ had cosied up to Hotch.

She brushed some crumbs off her desk into the bin, her hand stalling as she saw the flyer she had crumpled earlier.

Taking it back out of the bin she flattened it, smoothing the creases away.

_\- Computing Conference_

She had thought she wouldn’t learn anything at the conference, but the seed of an idea started to blossom in her mind. 

_\- It’s not **what** you know but **who** you know_

Garcia checked the date into her calendar, feeling happier again now that she had a plan.

_\- Now what was that swill she always used to drink?_

Garcia laughed as she remembered the foul drink that had been foisted upon them last time they met.

_\- Caf-Pow_

\-----


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's quite tiny... but just getting back into writing, so it will be edited! (But I knew if I waited I'd chicken out/get distracted by something else...).
> 
> Hopefully you're all still interested! :/

After dropping Tali off at nursery Tony drove around aimlessly, before finding himself, as if pulled by a magnet, outside Gibbs’. Letting his head rest on the steering wheel he sighed. As he walked towards the door he tucked his jacket in around him, wrapping up against the chilly autumn air, and the hole in his heart.

_\- What am I doing here?_

It was too late now to start asking questions. He knew why he was here, he had no-one left. Maybe Gibbs was right. He wasn’t worthy of love. Even Ziva hadn’t loved him enough to let him know he had a daughter. 

_\- Would he ever have met Tali if Ziva hadn’t… No. Now was not the time to start picking at that scab._

Knocking on the door he waited a moment before heading in. There was no response. The house was empty. 

_\- So this is what it’s like to be alone_

The room span. Tony clutched at the coffee table as his legs gave way beneath him and he went down. There was a sickening crack as his head hit the exposed arm of Gibbs shabby sofa. Then everything went dark.

\-----

“Tony”

“Tony”

_“Tony”_

A face he knew well swam into focus in front of his eyes.

_“Gibbs”_

“What the hell happened?”

Though his tone was harsh, Gibbs was gentle as he helped Tony to the couch.

“Jus’. Fell, I think.”

“Hey, _hey!”_

Gibbs face swam again as Tony’s head rolled back.

_“Tone!”_

\-----

“Ugh”

Tony felt better this time as he opened his eyes. And came face to face with Gibbs.

“You had me worried there for a moment Tone.”

Gibbs stroked Tony’s cheek before chucking him under the chin.

“What happened?”

Tony gingerly felt his head, wincing as his fingers grazed over the bump rapidly swelling on the back of his head.

“You tell me.”

Gibbs lowered himself carefully onto the couch, and Tony remembered it hadn’t been long since Gibbs had been hobbling around on crutches.

“Hey, how are you doing?”

Tony went to put his hand on Gibb’s leg, quickly turning it into a stretch when he remembered they weren’t together any more. But it was difficult. He didn’t think his stretch had fooled Gibbs either, judging by the smirk breaking on his face.

“Shut up you.”

Tony nudged Gibbs gently in the ribs.

Gibbs nudged him back.

Tony grinned. 

Gibbs shifted on the couch and crossed his legs. Tony knew what that meant. The smile slid from his face and he ducked his head. Though it was clear whatever between him and Aaron was over, he wasn’t ready to fall straight back into old habits with Gibbs, not yet.

“I just came to get my stuff back, from earlier.”

Gibbs pointed to the pile of neatly folded clothes on the floor next to him. 

“Thanks”

Awkwardly Tony started to strip, freezing when he felt Gibb’s hand on his back. It traced an old scar, which started on his lower back and carried on under his ribs.

That had been the result of a well-aimed chisel.

“I’m so sorry Tony.”

“Me too.”

Tony quickly swapped the rest of the clothes over, before heading for the door.

“If there’s anything I can ever do..”

Tony left without answering, quietly closing the door. 

_\- How could the man stir such opposing emotions in him from one minute to the next?_

He drove home deep in thought.

\-----

The knock at Tony’s door aggravated the pounding headache slowly making its way through his brain. He kneaded the palm of his hand into his eye socket, wincing as another heavy knock rang through the house. Another rap on the door, this one was louder, with force behind it. Tony groaned, this asshole clearly wasn’t going to stop.

“I’m coming”

“I’m **coming** ” he yelled as the knocking intensified.

 **“What?”** Tony growled as he flung open the door.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

Tony had never met the man standing on his doorstep, and he was taken aback by the venom in the stranger’s voice.

“I’m sorry, who are you?”

“You stay the hell away from Hotchner and Jack!”

Tony didn’t take kindly to the way the guy was jabbing his finger in his face. And the shouting was increasing his migraine, causing black spots to run across his vision.

“Get the fuck off my property before I call the police.”

The spots were growing, bleeding into each other and sending dark tendrils to every corner of his vision.

“If you hurt either one of them, there is a whole heap of pain coming your way.”

“I know pain, now get the hell of my lawn.”

“You should leave, go back to where you came from, back to NCIS.”

“You going to make me?”

“If I have to.”

Tony laughed, slamming the door in the man’s face, and managing to flick the latch before sliding down the inside of the door. He curled up, fists grinding into his eyes sockets trying to stem the pulsating pain travelling around his head. It had been a long time since he had been threatened, but things were different now. He had Tali. And he would do anything to protect her. Anything.

\-----

“Hey”

“Hey”

If Gibbs looked surprised to see a pale Tony and a squalling Tali on his doorstep, he did a good job of hiding it.

“Can I cash in that favour please?”

Silently Gibbs stepped aside and let the two of them walk inside.

_\- Game, set, and match_

\-----


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heyooo!
> 
> So I've decided I'll probably doing more mini chapters than longer ones, as it is more likely I'll update regularly and stay motivated :)

\-----

Garcia hummed happily as she walked into the conference centre. Though she was here on her own unassigned mission, the hustle and bustle had her blood buzzing in her veins.

Nothing could go wrong here, surrounded by her craft, her _people_.

A tannoy announcement declaring that a talk on hacking would begin in five minutes in one of the lecture theatres had Garcia squealing in excitement, before bustling off to get a good seat. 

After spending half an hour after the talk debating the finer points of hacking with a friend from the DEA, Garcia remembered that she was actually here with a goal in mind, and hastily made her excuses.

Scanning the crowds milling around the conference centre, she tried to not get distracted by the shiny gadgets on show.

A hand on her elbow made Garcia jump.

“H-hi!”

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you! I just thought you were looking for one of these!”

A large Caf-pow was thrust into Garcia’s hands, and she took it gingerly.

“Th-thanks Abby”

“Yay! I wasn’t sure you’d remember me! And it’s Penelope right?”

Garcia nodded. Smiling, Abby linked arms with Garcia and started to walk. Garcia struggling to keep up with Abby’s long stride.

“Excellent, we have _so_ much to talk about.”

\-----

Vance rewound and played the video again. There it was. He zoomed in and watched as Gibbs passed Abby a slip of paper.

_\- What the hell was on that bit of paper?_

\-----

“Ughhhh”

Emily groaned as she awoke and her back immediately starting protesting the uncomfortable position she had lain in the whole night.

“Good afternoon sleeping beauty”

Emily forced herself to sit upright, and looked at Rossi through squinted eyes.

“Well I’m glad to see you’re feeling better”

“Much, though if you wouldn’t mind-“

Emily cut him off with a wave of her hand.

“Of course, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I mean the team…”

She got to her feet 

“Emily”

“Yes, yes, I’m off, I just _where is?_ ”

“Looking for this?”

Rossi held out her bag, moving it out of reach as she grasped for it.

“Emily, stop. I only asked you to move, as after drinking a _lot_ last night, I would rather like to relieve myself.”

Emily blushed, and picked at the creases on her trousers. She watched him leave the bed and walk towards her.

_\- God, he moved so slowly, who would have poisoned him? Why?_

The hubbub in her head quietened as Rossi held her chin gently in his hands.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For staying.”

"Always."

\-----

Tony hesitated in the doorway of the spare room. Tali’s room for now.

_\- Please not forever_

It had taken barely any time at all to move his and Tali’s meagre belongings into Gibb’s house. He had only brought the bare minimum, and would have to go back to collect the  
rest tomorrow.

He didn’t know whether it was sweet or sinister that Gibbs had built a crib. Gibb’s face had betrayed nothing but happiness that it was going to be used when he had dragged it out from under a cloth in the basement, but Tony couldn’t help the stirring of unease that had gathered in his stomach.

He also didn’t like the fact that the bed in the spare room had been dismantled to make room for the crib, but he tried to shove that disquieting thought to the back of his head.

He didn’t feel as comfortable here as he thought he would.

He watched Tali, peaceful in sleep, one chubby arm flung over her face, the other clutching that toy Jack had got her.

Tony sighed, Jack had been a sweet kid, and Tali loved him. He wasn’t looking forward to explaining to her that she wouldn’t be seeing him again.

He jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Let her sleep” Gibbs whispered gruffly in his ear.

Tony turned and smiled, but couldn’t keep eye contact with Gibbs and dropped his head.

“I’ve told you, you don’t need to be afraid of me.”

Gibbs walked into his room, and came back with some spare sweats and a blanket.

“There’s either the couch or bunking in with me.”

Their eyes met, and Tony was struck, as he always was over how blue Gibb’s eyes were.

Those eyes were strong.

“I won’t touch you Tone, you have my word.”

Those eyes were direct.

“Okay.”

Tony followed Gibbs into his room, looking over his shoulder at Tali one last time. Never before had he felt love like this. And he would do anything to protect her. He was shaken by the stranger at his door earlier, and, after all, _better the devil you know_.

He glanced down at the blanket Gibbs had offered him, not needing to feel it to know it was the scratchiest blanket in the house.

Those eyes were calculating.

Tony felt like he had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

 _\- Who could help him now?_  
\-----


	21. Chapter 21

\-----

Aaron found it difficult to concentrate the whole day. He pulled onto his road after picking up Jack after school, and realised he had barely spoken to his son the whole journey. Looking in the rear view mirror he thought Jack looked pale, and saw his mouth twisting as his eyes tracked Tony’s house as they drove past it.

“Are you okay Jack?”

Jack’s eyes flicked towards him but he didn’t answer.

“Jack?”

“I-I miss Tony and Tali.”

“Jack, you only saw them this morning.”

The silence dragged on.

“Yeah, but you were angry… will we see them again?”

“I-I don’t know Jack.”

Aaron watched as Jack turned back to the window.

“Why?”

“I don’t think Tony is who he says he is.”

Aaron thought that would stop Jack’s questioning any further. Jack knew what his work entailed, he had to, after Haley. He wouldn’t question it.

“It’s not fair.”

Aaron stopped in his drive and turned around fully to look at Jack. Jack was always positive. _Always._ Even when he didn’t have to be.

“What’s not fair Jack.”

“Well, do you _know_ he’s not who he says he is? Shouldn’t you not judge a book by its cover? You’ve told me that before. What about evidence?”

Jack was angry now, his fists bunched at his sides, yet he hadn’t shouted or thrown a tantrum. Aaron wondered not for the last time what he had done to ever deserve Jack.

“You’re right Jack. How about we go over there now and I’ll ask him about it? But if I say we have to leave, we leave, okay?”

“Okay.”

As they walked up Tony’s drive, Aaron noticed that Tony’s car had gone.

“Jack, they might not be here, don’t get your hopes up.”

Aaron knocked and waited, he didn’t think Tony’s car was in the garage, the house had an empty feel to it which never occurred when Tony was around. The man couldn’t help but exude warmth.

He pulled on Jack’s hand to walk back home, he could tell Jack was disappointed. Jack wasn’t the only one.

\-----

Garcia couldn’t wait to leave. Rather than setting a trap herself, she felt as if she had walked straight into one.

“So where do you work again? The FBI right?”

Abby had dragged Garcia over to a quieter bench, away from the overall crowd. 

“Ugh yeah, that’s right.”

_\- Oh God, what had she been thinking? This was not going to plan at all_

“So” Abby laid a hand on Garcia’s arm, “What have you been up to?”

\-----

Vance zoomed in on the piece of paper, cursing at the awkward angle.

He could make out what looked like half of an address.

Sitting back in his chair he massaged his temples before getting back to work.

_\- What the hell had his people gotten involved in?_

\-----

“So…”

Rossi blew on his coffee and looked over the mug at Emily. He had been discharged and Emily had driven him to a lovely little café in town. 

“So what?”

“Don’t make this difficult Dave”

Emily tossed her head back and glared out of the window, fidgeting with the packets of sugar.

“How long?”

“What?”

Emily glanced back irritated, stopping the fidgeting when she saw where Rossi pointed.

“How long has it been since you quit smoking?”

Emily sighed, rocking back on her chair.

“Dabbled in my teens, long enough ago that I shouldn’t still get cravings.”

“What’s got you frustrated enough to want to smoke now?”

“You!”

Emily glared at the customers who had turned around at her outburst, they quickly turned away. Rossi grinned, then sighed. He was done putting off the inevitable.

“Okay, I uh...”

He faltered, looking down at his coffee.

Emily’s foot came to rest next to his under the table.

“Just start from the beginning.”

\-----

Garcia hurried up her buildings steps, slamming her apartment door shut as soon as she got inside. That had been intense. Abby had clearly been on a fishing mission, and Garcia couldn’t think about how much, if any, she had given away before being able to make her escape.

_\- What did NCIS want?_

\-----


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over 400 kudos!
> 
> Thank you so much!
> 
> I must admit, when I started this, I never imagined 400 people would read this fic, let alone love it enough to kudos it (even with my inability to regularly update). I know it is irritating, I irritate myself! So thank you so much for sticking by me and still wanting more :) 
> 
> I am also aware I have been lapse recently in replying to your comments. I do read each and every one, and again am so grateful that this fic inspires you to leave a message (good or bad!). I have been in a bit of a slump recently, and don't like to associate your comments with the times I am feeling low, so I promise I will read and reply to the unread comments for the last few chapters soon!

\-----

“So what’s the plan for today?”

Gibbs bounced Tali on his hip as he looked across at Tony.

Tony couldn’t answer, the sight of Tali with Gibbs was both thrilling and terrifying.

“Tone?”

“Um, going to grab the rest of the stuff I need I guess”

“What are you going to do with the rest of it?”

“Put it in storage I guess. Are you-“

“For the last time Tony, you’re more than welcome to stay as long as you want. You both are.”

Tony smiled and ducked his head.

“It’ll just be a couple of months, I promise, just until this blows over”

Gibbs flinched at his response, and Tony looked up as Tali started to squall.

“Hey baby, come to Aba”

Tony gathered Tali up as he picked her bag for nursery.

“Will you give me a ring when you’re on your way back?”

“Yeah sure”

“Okay then, I’ll catch you later”

Gibbs watched through the front window as Tony wrestled a now screaming Tali into her car seat. He waved as Tony drove off before tapping out a quick text and sending it.

\- _All going according to plan_

The response was almost automatic,

\- _I’ll be ready :)_

\-----

Tony packed up the last of his stuff and sighed. It didn’t seem so long ago when he had just moved in, just him and Tali.

Excited.

_Happy._

He kicked some packing pellets across the floor and slid his phone from his pocket.

“Hey, it’s me”

“You on your way back?”

“Yeah, just locking up now”

“You picking up Tali?”

“Yep, finishing here, picking up Tali, then I thought I might pick up something for dinner?”

“Sounds good to me”

“Okay, see you later”

“Bye”

He placed his phone on top of the nearest box, it had already fallen out of his jeans twice as he’d bent to move the boxes.

Though the screen hadn’t cracked so far, he wasn’t going to risk it again.

After all, bad things happen in threes.

\-----

\- _He’s leaving now, give it about 15_

 

\- _Roger that boss, let you know when it’s done :)_

\-----

Tony started to do a final lock up of the house, cursing as he remembered the shed attached to the house. He unlocked it, before turning on the emergency torch attached to his keys and starting to root around.

There didn’t seem to be much in there, odds and ends he hadn’t known what to do with when he’d moved in. He scratched his head.

_\- Like why on Earth had he kept that single ski pole?_

He heard the creak of the door hinges a split second before the door slammed on him.

“What the hell?!”

“I told you to stay away from Aaron and Jack, and you’re still here”

“I’m leaving, you asshole! Now let me out!”

“Liar”

“Hey!”

Tony slammed his fist on the door, but all he got in response was a chuckle and the sound of footsteps walking away.

He slammed his fist on the door again, but it didn’t budge.

He yelled in frustration before beginning to search for something, anything, that would help break him out.

\-----

Morgan hadn’t intended on stopping by Tony’s house, he had been to see a house nearby he was thinking of buying, but as he’d started to recognise the street he was driving down, he couldn’t resist stopping.

Peering through the front door, he’d been pissed to find that it looked like Tony hadn’t taken him seriously. Hadn’t taken him seriously at all. There were boxes everywhere, packing pellets strewn around. 

He clearly thought he wasn’t going anywhere.

_\- Uppity bastard_

Morgan just wanted to scare him. 

Just a _little_.

\-----

The figure slid around the side of Tony’s house, and saw the little shed attached to the back wall.

_\- Perfect_

Slowly, carefully, avoiding the shed, the figure sprinkled some white powder around the side of the house. It wouldn’t take much for the flames to jump to the shed, but hopefully enough time for a clean getaway.

By the time the shed went up in flames, one side of the house would already be roaring, making the fire more difficult to manage.

There shouldn’t be anything left.

\-----

Tony was sulking. Head in hands, sulking.

There was nothing of use in the shed, he’d never moved his tools out here from under the stairs. And in reality, all the shed contained was crap.

Tony heard the creak of the side gate. He straightened up. He wasn’t going to give that prick the satisfaction of begging him to let him out, or seeing him so dejected.

The strike of a match had him grinding his teeth, a habit he’d tried hard to break. That prick was having a cigarette outside whilst making him stew in here?

The side gate swung again, and Tony struggled to understand what it meant. Was that guy going to keep coming back until Tony asked him to let him out?

_\- Not a hope in hell_

Gibbs would wonder where he’d got to soon, and though he knew he’d be hearing about this for a while, he’d rather Gibbs come rescue him than give in to this guy.

He pulled his sweatshirt over his head, and wiped the sweat starting to bead at his forehead. He was surprised at how much of a sweatbox the shed was. He didn’t think it had been that hot when he arrived this morning.

The smell of smoke was the first sign that there was something wrong.

The loud crackle of flames was the second.

\-----

Morgan drove a couple of streets away, before parking and heading back to Tony’s. He thought the fifteen or so minutes would give the man some time to stew, and seriously consider leaving this area, Aaron and Jack, alone.

Morgan, like the rest of the team, was overjoyed when Aaron had started to lose the pinched frown which had seemed a permanent fixture since his separation with Beth.

The last few months, it had seemed like they had the old Hotch back, and it had been great.

Then a couple of weeks ago whatever this thing was with Tony had kicked off.

And Aaron had lost that carefree look, and was back to being hard on the team.

Morgan shook his head, trying to clear the angry thoughts from his mind. Really, he had been childish. What had he been thinking, a grown man locking someone in a shed?

The smell of smoke interrupted his thoughts. Barbecue was his first thought, and his stomach rumbled as he thought of ribs fresh of the grill.

He stopped, there was just something not quite right about that smell.

_\- Not burgers, it smelled more like… chemicals?_

The smell was stronger now, and he could hear it. The roar of flames greedily using up oxygen.

A thin curl of grey smoke split the sky.

_\- Wasn’t that the direction Tony’s house was in?_

Morgan started to run.

\-----


	23. Chapter 23

Tony was struggling. The flames were stronger now, he could feel the heat every time he breathed in the thick, acrid smoke filling the shed.

His attempts at banging down the door were getting weaker, but all he could think about was Tali. What would happen to her? He wasn’t going to let her lose both parents.

One...

....more...

....push

He slumped to the ground, blacking out.

He didn’t get up.

\-----

The phone vibrated as the figure headed back home, happy at a job well done.

_\- Tony’s not back yet, did you check the whole house to see if he’d left?_

The car screamed around, heading back to Tony’s.

Everywhere had been checked.

Everywhere but the shed.

\-----

Morgan raced around the back of Tony’s house, to the source of the flames, sick to his stomach to realise the fire had been started next to the shed.

The shed where he had locked a man inside.

He kicked down the door, coughing terribly at the billow of smoke that rushed at him.

His heart dropped as he saw Tony’s prone figure on the floor.

_\- Pleasebeokaypleasebeokay_

He dragged him out – _the man was **heavy**_ – and pulled him to a safe distance from the fire. He could hear the sound of sirens getting closer. Thankfully someone had called the fire service, he’d completely forgotten with the whole situation.

He checked to see if Tony was breathing – _he was thank God_ – and lay down exhausted after hearing the sound of screeching tyres. That would be the cavalry, they were safe now, he could rest.

He looked up as the side gate was thrown open, and stared.

“OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod, is he okay?”

She looked at him, at Tony, as if she wanted to come closer. Then the sounds of the encroaching fire department seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she was in. She turned tail and fled.

Morgan tried to stand up, but collapsed almost immediately with the effort, his lungs on fire from the smoke he had inhaled. 

That woman though, she was the key to this. 

He had never seen her before but knew he would recognise her anywhere. 

And he would find her.

\-----

Aaron Hotchner was pacing a hole into his office carpet. It was no good, he had to see Tony. If the man was feeling as miserable as he was, then there was definitely something to talk about, to try and make right.

His musings were interrupted by Garcia rushing into his office. She thrust a police dispatch into his hand. She was pointing at the address, jabbing at it really. He watched her mouth moving, but could hear nothing but white noise. It didn’t matter anyway. She’d also printed out a picture from the local news to go along with the dispatch. He’d recognise that house anywhere.

_Tony_

Thinking of him brought Hotch out of his stupor. Tony’s house was the victim of an arson attack. The sentence ran together as he raced to get to his car, into just one word.

TonyTonyTony

_\- Please don’t take this one from me too._

He prayed as his car left the FBI enclosure, gunning it to Tony's house, sirens blaring. 

_\- I don’t think I could stand a second time._

\-----


	24. Chapter 24

Garcia’s foot was tapping madly. She was still agitated thinking about what she might have given away to Abby. She racked her brains, but thought she had managed to get away with giving away the bare minimum. Abby had seemed shocked though, to find out that Garcia was one of the top techies at the FBI. Really shocked actually, in fact she’d made her excuses soon after, and left, to Garcia’s relief.

She’d been musing that strange interaction in her head ever since, but was distracted by one of machines beeping. She typed away at the keys quickly, despite her initial resolve, she’d set up a load of alerts, anything to do with NCIS or one Mr Anthony DiNozzo. The info flashing at her now took a while to sink in.

Tony’s house was on fire.

She ran towards Hotch’s office, hoping that she’d done the right thing.

\----

Vance drummed his fingers on his desk irritated. He had got as far as he could with the address he’d seen Gibbs pass to Abby, but the security surrounding it was tight. And frankly, as Director, he didn’t have the time to crack the encryption. He needed help, and it wasn’t like he could ask Abby and McGee. Picking up the phone, he started to dial; it was time he called in a favour.

\-----

Aaron’s car screeched down his road, lights and sirens blaring. The sheer amount of emergency personnel there made it impossible for his car to get very far, so he ran the rest of the way.

Two figures were getting loaded into two different ambulances. He ran over to the first one, surprised to see Morgan.

“Morgan?”

_“Boss”_

Morgan was croaky under the oxygen mask strapped over his face. Aaron wanted to rush to where the other ambulance was being closed up, but stayed to hear what he had to say.

_“A woman, all in black”_

Aaron had to learn forward to hear the rest of the sentence. The paramedics started closing up the ambulance, pushing him out of the way.

As Morgan’s eyes rolled back, the paramedics really did push Aaron out of the way.

He watched the ambulance race away, wondering what Morgan had meant by a ‘reverse Garcia’ 

\-----

Garcia hadn’t moved since returning to her office after watching Hotchner rush off. There had been something in his eyes that had shaken her to her core. Regret, fear, she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. But she thought desperation came pretty close.

The phone ringing startled her, and she nearly dropped it whilst fumbling to pick it up. She nearly dropped it again when the Director identified himself.

She was embarrassed to have to ask him to repeat himself. But the words which hadn’t shocked her had gone straight over her head.

“Garcia. I need you to trace this address as a favour to the Director of NCIS, so as soon as possible please.”

“Yes Director Morrow.”

She dutifully noted down the address, though she knew it wasn’t necessary. She would recognise that address anywhere now. 

She had just sent Hotchner there.

\-----


End file.
